diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/kubo/daemon.go b/cmd/ipfs/kubo/daemon.go
index 0fcd0e55623..ab034b20a14 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/kubo/daemon.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/kubo/daemon.go
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ func daemonFunc(req *cmds.Request, re cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment
 	case routingOptionNoneKwd:
 		ncfg.Routing = libp2p.NilRouterOption
 	case routingOptionCustomKwd:
-		if cfg.Routing.AcceleratedDHTClient {
+		if cfg.Routing.AcceleratedDHTClient.WithDefault(config.DefaultAcceleratedDHTClient) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Routing.AcceleratedDHTClient option is set even tho Routing.Type is custom, using custom .AcceleratedDHTClient needs to be set on DHT routers individually")
 		}
 		ncfg.Routing = libp2p.ConstructDelegatedRouting(
diff --git a/config/routing.go b/config/routing.go
index 60faa605cce..f8941f84877 100644
--- a/config/routing.go
+++ b/config/routing.go
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 )
 
+var (
+	DefaultAcceleratedDHTClient = false
+)
+
 // Routing defines configuration options for libp2p routing.
 type Routing struct {
 	// Type sets default daemon routing mode.
@@ -15,7 +19,7 @@ type Routing struct {
 	// When "custom" is set, user-provided Routing.Routers is used.
 	Type *OptionalString `json:",omitempty"`
 
-	AcceleratedDHTClient bool
+	AcceleratedDHTClient Flag `json:",omitempty"`
 
 	Routers Routers
 
diff --git a/core/node/groups.go b/core/node/groups.go
index c0270bbe15f..3df945fd2cc 100644
--- a/core/node/groups.go
+++ b/core/node/groups.go
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ func Online(bcfg *BuildCfg, cfg *config.Config, userResourceOverrides rcmgr.Part
 			cfg.Experimental.StrategicProviding,
 			cfg.Reprovider.Strategy.WithDefault(config.DefaultReproviderStrategy),
 			cfg.Reprovider.Interval.WithDefault(config.DefaultReproviderInterval),
-			cfg.Routing.AcceleratedDHTClient,
+			cfg.Routing.AcceleratedDHTClient.WithDefault(config.DefaultAcceleratedDHTClient),
 		),
 	)
 }
diff --git a/core/node/libp2p/routing.go b/core/node/libp2p/routing.go
index 98234f5ceda..697bf0f2e6a 100644
--- a/core/node/libp2p/routing.go
+++ b/core/node/libp2p/routing.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func BaseRouting(cfg *config.Config) interface{} {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if dualDHT != nil && cfg.Routing.AcceleratedDHTClient {
+		if dualDHT != nil && cfg.Routing.AcceleratedDHTClient.WithDefault(config.DefaultAcceleratedDHTClient) {
 			cfg, err := in.Repo.Config()
 			if err != nil {
 				return out, err
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index 0fa5000ac45..d9addc7134a 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -1610,7 +1610,7 @@ them
 
 Default: `false`
 
-Type: `bool` (missing means `false`)
+Type: `flag`
 
 ### `Routing.Routers`