diff --git a/packages/core/src/initialization/make-index-api.ts b/packages/core/src/initialization/make-index-api.ts
index 14f7f1c286..a2e25ce264 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/initialization/make-index-api.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/initialization/make-index-api.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export function makeIndexApi(
   network: Networks,
   logger: DiagnosticsLogger
 ): DatabaseIndexApi | undefined {
-  if (!process.env.CERAMIC_ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_INDEXING) {
+  if (process.env.CERAMIC_ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_INDEXING != 'true') {
     return undefined
   }
   if (network == Networks.MAINNET || network == Networks.ELP) {