diff --git a/libraries/featureflag/api/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/featureflag/api/FeatureFlags.kt b/libraries/featureflag/api/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/featureflag/api/FeatureFlags.kt
index 406bf7ddb3..61124c6ce3 100644
--- a/libraries/featureflag/api/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/featureflag/api/FeatureFlags.kt
+++ b/libraries/featureflag/api/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/featureflag/api/FeatureFlags.kt
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ enum class FeatureFlags(
         key = "feature.message_search",
         title = "Message search",
         description = "Index messages locally so they can be searched. Only messages received while enabled are indexed.",
-        defaultValue = { false },
+        defaultValue = { true },
         isFinished = false,
     ),
     MessageMultiSelect(
diff --git a/libraries/matrix/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/matrix/impl/RustMatrixClientFactoryTest.kt b/libraries/matrix/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/matrix/impl/RustMatrixClientFactoryTest.kt
index 1eeffae466..0ed71e3bfe 100644
--- a/libraries/matrix/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/matrix/impl/RustMatrixClientFactoryTest.kt
+++ b/libraries/matrix/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/matrix/impl/RustMatrixClientFactoryTest.kt
@@ -44,14 +44,15 @@ import org.matrix.rustcomponents.sdk.SyncService as ClientSyncService
 class RustMatrixClientFactoryTest {
     @Test
     fun test() = runTest {
-        val scheduleVacuumLambda = lambdaRecorder<WorkManagerRequestBuilder, Unit> {}
-        val workManagerScheduler = FakeWorkManagerScheduler(submitLambda = scheduleVacuumLambda, cancelLambda = { _, _ -> })
+        val scheduleWorkersLambda = lambdaRecorder<WorkManagerRequestBuilder, Unit> {}
+        val workManagerScheduler = FakeWorkManagerScheduler(submitLambda = scheduleWorkersLambda, cancelLambda = { _, _ -> })
         val sut = createRustMatrixClientFactory(workManagerScheduler = workManagerScheduler)
 
         val result = sut.create(aSessionData())
 
         assertThat(result.sessionId).isEqualTo(SessionId("@alice:server.org"))
-        scheduleVacuumLambda.assertions().isCalledOnce()
+        // 2 workers are scheduled: one for the search backfill and one for the vacuum
+        scheduleWorkersLambda.assertions().isCalledExactly(2)
         result.destroy()
     }
 
diff --git a/libraries/matrix/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/matrix/impl/fixtures/fakes/FakeFfiClientBuilder.kt b/libraries/matrix/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/matrix/impl/fixtures/fakes/FakeFfiClientBuilder.kt
index 99caa2f4ed..4dfa4ec385 100644
--- a/libraries/matrix/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/matrix/impl/fixtures/fakes/FakeFfiClientBuilder.kt
+++ b/libraries/matrix/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/matrix/impl/fixtures/fakes/FakeFfiClientBuilder.kt
@@ -50,5 +50,6 @@ class FakeFfiClientBuilder(
     override fun inMemoryStore(): ClientBuilder = this
     override fun crossProcessLockConfig(crossProcessLockConfig: CrossProcessLockConfig): ClientBuilder = this
     override fun dmRoomDefinition(dmRoomDefinition: DmRoomDefinition): ClientBuilder = this
+    override fun withSearchIndexStore(path: String, password: String?): ClientBuilder = this
     override suspend fun build() = buildResult()
 }