diff --git a/blockstack_client/config.py b/blockstack_client/config.py
index 2a13f4264..77ff12725 100644
--- a/blockstack_client/config.py
+++ b/blockstack_client/config.py
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ def read_config_file(path=CONFIG_PATH):
         parser.set('blockstack-client', 'users', USER_DIRNAME)
         parser.set('blockstack-client', 'datastores', DATASTORE_DIRNAME)
         parser.set('blockstack-client', 'default_devices', '')
-        parser.set('blockstack-client', 'authenticate_api', 'True')
+        parser.set('blockstack-client', 'authenticate_api', 'False')
 
         rpc_token = os.urandom(32)
         parser.set('blockstack-client', 'rpc_token', hexlify(rpc_token))