diff --git a/db/fixtures/01_application_settings.rb b/db/fixtures/01_application_settings.rb
index 11c5213c0..1ea57ad5e 100644
--- a/db/fixtures/01_application_settings.rb
+++ b/db/fixtures/01_application_settings.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 ApplicationSetting.seed_once :setting do |s|
   s.setting = :user_registration_enabled
-  s.value = true
+  s.value = false
 end
 
 ApplicationSetting.seed_once :setting do |s|
diff --git a/extensions/ee/spec/services/ee/users/identity/register_service_spec.rb b/extensions/ee/spec/services/ee/users/identity/register_service_spec.rb
index 3cfe0a00c..28bb0f596 100644
--- a/extensions/ee/spec/services/ee/users/identity/register_service_spec.rb
+++ b/extensions/ee/spec/services/ee/users/identity/register_service_spec.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ def setup_identity_provider(identity)
 
   context 'when user limit of license is reached' do
     before do
+      stub_application_settings(user_registration_enabled: true)
       create(:license, restrictions: { user_count: 0 })
     end
 
diff --git a/extensions/ee/spec/services/ee/users/register_service_spec.rb b/extensions/ee/spec/services/ee/users/register_service_spec.rb
index bfb74086b..4ace1378d 100644
--- a/extensions/ee/spec/services/ee/users/register_service_spec.rb
+++ b/extensions/ee/spec/services/ee/users/register_service_spec.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
   context 'when user limit of license is reached' do
     before do
+      stub_application_settings(user_registration_enabled: true)
       create(:license, restrictions: { user_count: 0 })
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/models/application_setting_spec.rb b/spec/models/application_setting_spec.rb
index 596839ec7..f511694b9 100644
--- a/spec/models/application_setting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/application_setting_spec.rb
@@ -191,6 +191,16 @@
   describe '.current' do
     it { expect(described_class.current.keys).to eq(described_class::SETTINGS.keys) }
 
+    it 'defaults user registration to disabled' do
+      described_class.delete_all
+      SeedFu.seed(SeedFu.fixture_paths, /01_application_settings/)
+
+      expect(described_class.current[:user_registration_enabled]).to be false
+    ensure
+      described_class.delete_all
+      SeedFu.seed(SeedFu.fixture_paths, /01_application_settings/)
+    end
+
     it 'raises if settings are missing', :recreating_settings do
       described_class.first.delete
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/graphql/mutation/users/identity/register_spec.rb b/spec/requests/graphql/mutation/users/identity/register_spec.rb
index 8acfa9ae9..33a5559f2 100644
--- a/spec/requests/graphql/mutation/users/identity/register_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/graphql/mutation/users/identity/register_spec.rb
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ def setup_identity_provider(identity)
   end
 
   before do
+    stub_application_settings(user_registration_enabled: true)
+
     setup_identity_provider Code0::Identities::Identity.new(:google, 'identifier', 'username', 'test@code0.tech',
                                                             'firstname', 'lastname')
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/graphql/mutation/users/register_spec.rb b/spec/requests/graphql/mutation/users/register_spec.rb
index a15454616..2d3fc70e0 100644
--- a/spec/requests/graphql/mutation/users/register_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/graphql/mutation/users/register_spec.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@
 
   let(:variables) { { input: input } }
 
-  before { post_graphql mutation, variables: variables }
+  before do
+    stub_application_settings(user_registration_enabled: true)
+    post_graphql mutation, variables: variables
+  end
 
   it 'creates the user' do
     expect(graphql_data_at(:users_register, :user_session, :user, :id)).to be_present
diff --git a/spec/services/application_settings_update_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/application_settings_update_service_spec.rb
index 3d92501aa..4375877a9 100644
--- a/spec/services/application_settings_update_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/application_settings_update_service_spec.rb
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@
     let(:current_user) { create(:user, :admin) }
     let(:params) { { user_registration_enabled: false } }
 
+    before do
+      ApplicationSetting.user_registration_enabled.update!(value: true)
+    end
+
     it { is_expected.to be_success }
     it { expect(service_response.payload).to include(user_registration_enabled: false) }
 
diff --git a/spec/services/users/identity/register_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/users/identity/register_service_spec.rb
index e095c0d6b..29fecf66a 100644
--- a/spec/services/users/identity/register_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/users/identity/register_service_spec.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ def setup_identity_provider(identity)
     allow(provider).to receive(:load_identity).and_return identity
   end
 
+  before do
+    stub_application_settings(user_registration_enabled: true)
+  end
+
   context 'when user is valid' do
     let(:provider_id) do
       :google
diff --git a/spec/services/users/register_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/users/register_service_spec.rb
index 9e5e66f35..cab636044 100644
--- a/spec/services/users/register_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/users/register_service_spec.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
 RSpec.describe Users::RegisterService do
   subject(:service_response) { described_class.new(username, email, password).execute }
 
+  before do
+    stub_application_settings(user_registration_enabled: true)
+  end
+
   context 'when user is valid' do
     let(:username) { generate(:username) }
     let(:email) { generate(:email) }
diff --git a/spec/support/helpers/stub_application_settings.rb b/spec/support/helpers/stub_application_settings.rb
index d4ac12627..84e2b7cca 100644
--- a/spec/support/helpers/stub_application_settings.rb
+++ b/spec/support/helpers/stub_application_settings.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ module StubApplicationSettings
   def stub_application_settings(settings)
     current_settings = ApplicationSetting.current
 
+    allow(current_settings).to receive(:[]).and_call_original
+
     settings.each do |key, value|
       allow(current_settings).to receive(:[]).with(key.to_sym).and_return(value)
       allow(current_settings).to receive(:[]).with(key.to_s).and_return(value)