diff --git a/src/plugins/converse-rai.js b/src/plugins/converse-rai.js
index f291a0c7726a9f119765448c687a03fd398e82a9..be987884c6f6595a50d3f02a092c787f83b07398 100644
--- a/src/plugins/converse-rai.js
+++ b/src/plugins/converse-rai.js
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ converse.plugins.add('converse-rai', {
 
     // Register settings
     api.settings.extend({
-      muc_subscribe_to_rai: true,
+      muc_subscribe_to_rai: false,
     });
 
     Object.assign(api.rooms, {
@@ -113,6 +113,10 @@ converse.plugins.add('converse-rai', {
        * @returns {void}
        */
       subscribe(jids) {
+        if (!api.settings.get('muc_subscribe_to_rai')) {
+          console.error('Can\'t subscribe to RAI, this feature is not enabled');
+        }
+
         if (typeof jids === 'string') {
           jids = [jids];
         }
diff --git a/src/solid-xmpp-chat.js b/src/solid-xmpp-chat.js
index 498940875417460666b78b9ab535f9171dfe3c04..797be8d3145a91b6b3dc428e763a736525230546 100644
--- a/src/solid-xmpp-chat.js
+++ b/src/solid-xmpp-chat.js
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ export const SolidXMPPChat = {
         'muc_nickname_from_jid': false,
         'muc_fetch_members': true,
         'muc_show_info_messages': [],
+        'muc_subscribe_to_rai': true,
         'play_sounds': false,
         'root': this.element.shadowRoot,
         'show_client_info': false,