diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e9f4e98e..37518ec4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -623,6 +623,7 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
 Gestalt Mobile is distributed under the GNU Affero General Public License
 version 3 or, at your option, any later version. See [LICENSE](LICENSE).
 
-Use `--xerj manual` (default, retrieval only), `--xerj auto` (opt-in indexing), or `--xerj off`.
+Source discovery defaults to `--xerj auto` (index and watch). Use `--xerj manual`
+for retrieval only or `--xerj off` to disable the integration.
 See [root-wide XERJ discovery](docs/xerj.md) for background indexing, exclusions,
 status, recovery and the retrieval/write-permission boundary.
diff --git a/docs/xerj.md b/docs/xerj.md
index b3613a52..a7927be9 100644
--- a/docs/xerj.md
+++ b/docs/xerj.md
@@ -6,13 +6,16 @@ XERJ is optional. Install it with `gestalt xerj install`, then start Mobile:
 gestalt mobile -- --cwd /path/to/source-root
 ```
 
-`manual` is the default when launched through Mobile's CLI. It starts or discovers
+`auto` is the default when launched through Mobile's CLI. It indexes and watches
+the source root in the background without blocking startup.
+
+Use `--xerj manual` for retrieval only. It starts or discovers
 the retrieval backend but does not scan source files, create an ignore file, or
 start a watcher. Existing indexes remain available and unchanged; an empty index
 provides no source results until explicitly populated. New files, edits and
 deletions are not reflected until an operator runs indexing.
 
-`--xerj auto` explicitly opts into background indexing and watching, including the
+Automatic indexing and watching include the
 rc.87 incremental-addition limitation described below. `--xerj off` disables
 Mobile's XERJ integration. An absent XERJ does not prevent startup. These use Mobile's existing CLI
 configuration, not a separate service configuration file. The manager must be on
diff --git a/src/server/cli.ts b/src/server/cli.ts
index 18f5ce80..ae01058c 100644
--- a/src/server/cli.ts
+++ b/src/server/cli.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Options:
   --disable-passkey-auth Disable passkey access control (unsafe on shared or network hosts)
   --data-dir <path>  Directory for persistent application data
   --icon <path>      SVG or PNG used as the installed PWA application icon
-  --xerj <mode>     Source discovery: manual (default, no indexing), auto, off
+  --xerj <mode>     Source discovery: auto (default, index and watch), manual, off
   --skills <profile> Use a global skill profile for every session
   --skills list      List saved global skill profiles without starting the server
   --help             Show this help
diff --git a/src/server/config.test.ts b/src/server/config.test.ts
index 7b621c4e..6ce2dfc5 100644
--- a/src/server/config.test.ts
+++ b/src/server/config.test.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe('parseConfig', () => {
       },
       root: resolve('/caller'),
       dataDir: undefined,
-      xerj: 'manual',
+      xerj: 'auto',
     });
   });
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ describe('parseConfig', () => {
       },
       root: resolve('/caller/work'),
       dataDir: './state',
-      xerj: 'manual',
+      xerj: 'auto',
       iconPath: resolve('/caller/subdirectory/brand.png'),
     });
   });
diff --git a/src/server/config.ts b/src/server/config.ts
index 506ff624..a0db4910 100644
--- a/src/server/config.ts
+++ b/src/server/config.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export function parseConfig(args: string[], cwd = process.cwd()): RelayConfig {
     index += 1;
   }
 
-  const xerj = values.get('--xerj') ?? 'manual';
+  const xerj = values.get('--xerj') ?? 'auto';
   if (xerj !== 'auto' && xerj !== 'manual' && xerj !== 'off')
     throw new CliUsageError('--xerj must be auto, manual, or off');