diff --git a/apps/app/src/components/views/board-view.tsx b/apps/app/src/components/views/board-view.tsx
index d68275bd..057d7c22 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/components/views/board-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/components/views/board-view.tsx
@@ -2322,11 +2322,11 @@ export function BoardView() {
               <div className="flex items-center space-x-2">
                 <Checkbox
                   id="skip-tests"
-                  checked={newFeature.skipTests}
+                  checked={!newFeature.skipTests}
                   onCheckedChange={(checked) =>
                     setNewFeature({
                       ...newFeature,
-                      skipTests: checked === true,
+                      skipTests: checked !== true,
                     })
                   }
                   data-testid="skip-tests-checkbox"
@@ -2336,14 +2336,14 @@ export function BoardView() {
                     htmlFor="skip-tests"
                     className="text-sm cursor-pointer"
                   >
-                    Skip automated testing
+                    Enable automated testing
                   </Label>
                   <FlaskConical className="w-3.5 h-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />
                 </div>
               </div>
               <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                When enabled, this feature will require manual verification
-                instead of automated TDD.
+                When enabled, this feature will use automated TDD. When
+                disabled, it will require manual verification.
               </p>
 
               {/* Verification Steps - Only shown when skipTests is enabled */}
@@ -2742,11 +2742,11 @@ export function BoardView() {
                 <div className="flex items-center space-x-2">
                   <Checkbox
                     id="edit-skip-tests"
-                    checked={editingFeature.skipTests ?? false}
+                    checked={!(editingFeature.skipTests ?? false)}
                     onCheckedChange={(checked) =>
                       setEditingFeature({
                         ...editingFeature,
-                        skipTests: checked === true,
+                        skipTests: checked !== true,
                       })
                     }
                     data-testid="edit-skip-tests-checkbox"
@@ -2756,14 +2756,14 @@ export function BoardView() {
                       htmlFor="edit-skip-tests"
                       className="text-sm cursor-pointer"
                     >
-                      Skip automated testing
+                      Enable automated testing
                     </Label>
                     <FlaskConical className="w-3.5 h-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />
                   </div>
                 </div>
                 <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                  When enabled, this feature will require manual verification
-                  instead of automated TDD.
+                  When enabled, this feature will use automated TDD. When
+                  disabled, it will require manual verification.
                 </p>
 
                 {/* Verification Steps - Only shown when skipTests is enabled */}
diff --git a/apps/app/src/components/views/settings-view/feature-defaults/feature-defaults-section.tsx b/apps/app/src/components/views/settings-view/feature-defaults/feature-defaults-section.tsx
index e7c78582..83d8df35 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/components/views/settings-view/feature-defaults/feature-defaults-section.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/components/views/settings-view/feature-defaults/feature-defaults-section.tsx
@@ -70,14 +70,14 @@ export function FeatureDefaultsSection({
         {/* Separator */}
         <div className="border-t border-border" />
 
-        {/* Skip Tests Setting */}
+        {/* Automated Testing Setting */}
         <div className="space-y-3">
           <div className="flex items-start space-x-3">
             <Checkbox
               id="default-skip-tests"
-              checked={defaultSkipTests}
+              checked={!defaultSkipTests}
               onCheckedChange={(checked) =>
-                onDefaultSkipTestsChange(checked === true)
+                onDefaultSkipTestsChange(checked !== true)
               }
               className="mt-0.5"
               data-testid="default-skip-tests-checkbox"
@@ -88,12 +88,13 @@ export function FeatureDefaultsSection({
                 className="text-foreground cursor-pointer font-medium flex items-center gap-2"
               >
                 <TestTube className="w-4 h-4 text-brand-500" />
-                Skip automated testing by default
+                Enable automated testing by default
               </Label>
               <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                When enabled, new features will default to manual verification
-                instead of TDD (test-driven development). You can still override
-                this for individual features.
+                When enabled, new features will use TDD (test-driven
+                development) with automated tests. When disabled, features will
+                require manual verification. You can still override this for
+                individual features.
               </p>
             </div>
           </div>
diff --git a/apps/app/src/store/app-store.ts b/apps/app/src/store/app-store.ts
index d5a1b9c9..ba8a1130 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/store/app-store.ts
+++ b/apps/app/src/store/app-store.ts
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ const initialState: AppState = {
   autoModeActivityLog: [],
   maxConcurrency: 3, // Default to 3 concurrent agents
   kanbanCardDetailLevel: "standard", // Default to standard detail level
-  defaultSkipTests: false, // Default to TDD mode (tests enabled)
+  defaultSkipTests: true, // Default to manual verification (tests disabled)
   useWorktrees: false, // Default to disabled (worktree feature is experimental)
   showProfilesOnly: false, // Default to showing all options (not profiles only)
   keyboardShortcuts: DEFAULT_KEYBOARD_SHORTCUTS, // Default keyboard shortcuts