diff --git a/bbb-apply-config.yml b/bbb-apply-config.yml
index 53d39426e484ce76100228debd9e7bee23f6e2dd..423dc80b09168ee7bc7e34b24bf9664866d7b0f9 100644
--- a/bbb-apply-config.yml
+++ b/bbb-apply-config.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 - name: Apply local BBB configuration
   hosts: bigbluebutton
   become: yes
+  vars:
+    enable_recording: false
   tasks:
   - name: We are alive
     debug:
@@ -50,19 +52,19 @@
     lineinfile:
         path: /usr/share/bbb-web/WEB-INF/classes/bigbluebutton.properties
         regexp: '^allowStartStopRecording=.*'
-        line: 'allowStartStopRecording=false'
+        line: 'allowStartStopRecording={{ enable_recording }}'
 
   - name: disable recording auto start
     lineinfile:
         path: /usr/share/bbb-web/WEB-INF/classes/bigbluebutton.properties
         regexp: '^autoStartRecording=.*'
-        line: 'autoStartRecording=false'
+        line: 'autoStartRecording=true'
 
   - name: disable recording generally, even if record param in api set to record
     lineinfile:
         path: /usr/share/bbb-web/WEB-INF/classes/bigbluebutton.properties
         regexp: '^disableRecordingDefault=.*'
-        line: 'disableRecordingDefault=true'
+        line: 'disableRecordingDefault=false'
 
 
   #