diff --git a/src/client-ocurl/config.ml b/src/client-ocurl/config.ml
index fb86c0d2..bda563e4 100644
--- a/src/client-ocurl/config.ml
+++ b/src/client-ocurl/config.ml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ let pp out self =
 
 let make ?(debug = !debug_) ?(url = get_url ()) ?(headers = get_headers ())
     ?(batch_timeout_ms = 2_000) ?(bg_threads = 4) ?(ticker_thread = true)
-    ?(ticker_interval_ms = 500) ?(self_trace = true) () : t =
+    ?(ticker_interval_ms = 500) ?(self_trace = false) () : t =
   let bg_threads = max 2 (min bg_threads 32) in
   {
     debug;
diff --git a/src/client-ocurl/config.mli b/src/client-ocurl/config.mli
index 270aa2d2..d5dddf30 100644
--- a/src/client-ocurl/config.mli
+++ b/src/client-ocurl/config.mli
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ type t = private {
       Default 500.
       @since NEXT_RELEASE *)
   self_trace: bool;
-      (** If true, the OTEL library will also emit its own spans.
+      (** If true, the OTEL library will also emit its own spans. Default [false].
           @since NEXT_RELEASE *)
 }
 (** Configuration.
diff --git a/tests/bin/emit1.ml b/tests/bin/emit1.ml
index 179ddc78..cf40e2ef 100644
--- a/tests/bin/emit1.ml
+++ b/tests/bin/emit1.ml
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ let () =
   Arg.parse opts (fun _ -> ()) "emit1 [opt]*";
 
   let config =
-    Opentelemetry_client_ocurl.Config.make ~debug:!debug
+    Opentelemetry_client_ocurl.Config.make ~debug:!debug ~self_trace:true
       ?bg_threads:
         (let n = !n_bg_threads in
          if n = 0 then