diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/StatementSwitchToExpressionSwitch.java b/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/StatementSwitchToExpressionSwitch.java
index 83fb9763d07..bfc3f99bd26 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/StatementSwitchToExpressionSwitch.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/StatementSwitchToExpressionSwitch.java
@@ -181,7 +181,10 @@ enum NullDefaultKind {
   @Inject
   StatementSwitchToExpressionSwitch(ErrorProneFlags flags) {
     this.enableDirectConversion =
-        flags.getBoolean("StatementSwitchToExpressionSwitch:EnableDirectConversion").orElse(true);
+        true
+            || flags
+                .getBoolean("StatementSwitchToExpressionSwitch:EnableDirectConversion")
+                .orElse(true);
     this.enableReturnSwitchConversion =
         flags
             .getBoolean("StatementSwitchToExpressionSwitch:EnableReturnSwitchConversion")