diff --git a/iroh-gateway/src/client.rs b/iroh-gateway/src/client.rs
index e9e316f19d..6c10bc7914 100644
--- a/iroh-gateway/src/client.rs
+++ b/iroh-gateway/src/client.rs
@@ -238,12 +238,12 @@ pub struct IpfsRequest {
     pub query_file_name: String,
     pub download: bool,
     pub query_params: GetParams,
-    pub is_subdomain_mode: bool,
+    pub subdomain_mode: bool,
 }
 
 impl IpfsRequest {
     pub fn request_path_for_redirection(&self) -> String {
-        if self.is_subdomain_mode {
+        if self.subdomain_mode {
             self.resolved_path.to_relative_string()
         } else {
             self.resolved_path.to_string()
diff --git a/iroh-gateway/src/config.rs b/iroh-gateway/src/config.rs
index 5785187eea..124a4af568 100644
--- a/iroh-gateway/src/config.rs
+++ b/iroh-gateway/src/config.rs
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ pub const CONFIG_FILE_NAME: &str = "gateway.config.toml";
 pub const ENV_PREFIX: &str = "IROH_GATEWAY";
 pub const DEFAULT_PORT: u16 = 9050;
 
-fn set_true() -> bool {
-    true
-}
-
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 pub struct Config {
     /// Pretty URL to redirect to
@@ -53,7 +49,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     #[serde(with = "http_serde::header_map")]
     pub headers: HeaderMap,
     /// Redirects to subdomains for path requests
-    #[serde(default = "set_true")]
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub redirect_to_subdomain: bool,
 }
 
@@ -69,7 +65,7 @@ impl Config {
             indexer_endpoint: None,
             metrics: MetricsConfig::default(),
             use_denylist: false,
-            redirect_to_subdomain: true,
+            redirect_to_subdomain: false,
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/iroh-gateway/src/core.rs b/iroh-gateway/src/core.rs
index 12c11773ae..c887226738 100644
--- a/iroh-gateway/src/core.rs
+++ b/iroh-gateway/src/core.rs
@@ -345,7 +345,6 @@ mod tests {
             .map(|(cid, bytes)| (UnixfsNode::decode(&cid, bytes.into()).unwrap(), cid))
             .unzip()
             .await;
-
         // match cids and content
         assert_eq!(cids.len(), test_setup.file_cids.len());
         assert_eq!(
@@ -370,7 +369,6 @@ mod tests {
         for (i, node) in nodes[1..].iter().enumerate() {
             assert_eq!(node, &UnixfsNode::Raw(test_setup.files[i].1.clone().into()));
         }
-
         test_setup.shutdown().await
     }
 
diff --git a/iroh-gateway/src/handlers.rs b/iroh-gateway/src/handlers.rs
index ea2efa15ff..901519b45b 100644
--- a/iroh-gateway/src/handlers.rs
+++ b/iroh-gateway/src/handlers.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ use crate::{
 };
 
 enum RequestPreprocessingResult {
-    ResponseImmediately(GatewayResponse),
+    RespondImmediately(GatewayResponse),
     ShouldRequestData(Box<IpfsRequest>),
 }
 
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ async fn request_preprocessing<T: ContentLoader + Unpin>(
     query_params: &GetParams,
     request_headers: &HeaderMap,
     response_headers: &mut HeaderMap,
-    is_subdomain_mode: bool,
+    subdomain_mode: bool,
 ) -> Result<RequestPreprocessingResult, GatewayError> {
     if path.typ().as_str() != SCHEME_IPFS && path.typ().as_str() != SCHEME_IPNS {
         return Err(GatewayError::new(
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ async fn request_preprocessing<T: ContentLoader + Unpin>(
     let uri_param = query_params.uri.clone().unwrap_or_default();
     if !uri_param.is_empty() {
         return protocol_handler_redirect(uri_param)
-            .map(RequestPreprocessingResult::ResponseImmediately);
+            .map(RequestPreprocessingResult::RespondImmediately);
     }
     service_worker_check(request_headers, &content_path)?;
     unsupported_header_check(request_headers)?;
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ async fn request_preprocessing<T: ContentLoader + Unpin>(
     let resolved_cid = path.root();
 
     if handle_only_if_cached(request_headers, state, path.root()).await? {
-        return Ok(RequestPreprocessingResult::ResponseImmediately(
+        return Ok(RequestPreprocessingResult::RespondImmediately(
             GatewayResponse::new(StatusCode::OK, Body::empty(), HeaderMap::new()),
         ));
     }
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ async fn request_preprocessing<T: ContentLoader + Unpin>(
         .map_err(|err| GatewayError::new(StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, &err))?;
 
     if let Some(resp) = etag_check(request_headers, resolved_cid, &format) {
-        return Ok(RequestPreprocessingResult::ResponseImmediately(resp));
+        return Ok(RequestPreprocessingResult::RespondImmediately(resp));
     }
 
     // init headers
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ async fn request_preprocessing<T: ContentLoader + Unpin>(
             .to_string(),
         download: query_params.download.unwrap_or_default(),
         query_params: query_params.clone(),
-        is_subdomain_mode,
+        subdomain_mode,
     };
     Ok(RequestPreprocessingResult::ShouldRequestData(Box::new(req)))
 }
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ pub async fn handler<T: ContentLoader + Unpin>(
     query_params: &GetParams,
     request_headers: &HeaderMap,
     http_req: HttpRequest<Body>,
-    is_subdomain_mode: bool,
+    subdomain_mode: bool,
 ) -> Result<GatewayResponse, GatewayError> {
     let start_time = time::Instant::now();
     let mut response_headers = HeaderMap::new();
@@ -227,11 +227,11 @@ pub async fn handler<T: ContentLoader + Unpin>(
         query_params,
         request_headers,
         &mut response_headers,
-        is_subdomain_mode,
+        subdomain_mode,
     )
     .await?
     {
-        RequestPreprocessingResult::ResponseImmediately(gateway_response) => Ok(gateway_response),
+        RequestPreprocessingResult::RespondImmediately(gateway_response) => Ok(gateway_response),
         RequestPreprocessingResult::ShouldRequestData(req) => match method {
             Method::HEAD => {
                 let path_metadata = state