diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/XWPrefs.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/XWPrefs.java
index 6f5e342c8..d77079ccb 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/XWPrefs.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/XWPrefs.java
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ public class XWPrefs {
 
     public static boolean getDebugEnabled( Context context )
     {
-        return getPrefsBoolean( context, R.string.key_enable_debug, false );
+        return getPrefsBoolean( context, R.string.key_enable_debug,
+                                BuildConfig.DEBUG );
     }
 
     public static boolean getSecondInviteAllowed( Context context )
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/xml/xwprefs.xml b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/xml/xwprefs.xml
index b95da5fc4..7eac354f4 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/xml/xwprefs.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/xml/xwprefs.xml
@@ -379,12 +379,12 @@
 
     <CheckBoxPreference android:key="@string/key_logging_on"
                         android:title="@string/logging_on"
-                        android:defaultValue="false"
+                        android:defaultValue="@bool/DEBUG"
                         />
     <CheckBoxPreference android:key="@string/key_enable_debug"
                         android:title="@string/debug_features"
                         android:summary="@string/debug_features_summary"
-                        android:defaultValue="false"
+                        android:defaultValue="@bool/DEBUG"
                         />
 
     <org.eehouse.android.xw4.XWEditTextPreference