diff --git a/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLIOptions.java b/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLIOptions.java
index dd2970ee4..8708c4630 100644
--- a/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLIOptions.java
+++ b/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLIOptions.java
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public class NBCLIOptions {
     private static final String DEFAULT_CONSOLE_PATTERN = "TERSE";
     private static final String DEFAULT_LOGFILE_PATTERN = "VERBOSE";
     private final static String ENABLE_DEDICATED_VERIFICATION_LOGGER = "--enable-dedicated-verification-logging";
-    private final static String USE_NBIO_CACHE = "--use-nbio-cache";
+    private final static String DISABLE_NBIO_CACHE = "--disable-nbio-cache";
     private final static String NBIO_CACHE_FORCE_UPDATE = "--nbio-cache-force-update";
     private final static String NBIO_CACHE_NO_VERIFY = "--nbio-cache-no-verify";
     private final static String NBIO_CACHE_DIR = "--nbio-cache-dir";
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ public class NBCLIOptions {
     private String metricsLabelSpec = "";
     private String wantsToCatResource = "";
     private long heartbeatIntervalMs = 10000;
-    private boolean useNBIOCache = false;
+    private boolean useNBIOCache = true;
     private boolean nbioCacheForceUpdate = false;
     private boolean nbioCacheVerify = true;
     private String nbioCacheDir;
@@ -661,9 +661,9 @@ public class NBCLIOptions {
                     this.heartbeatIntervalMs =
                         Long.parseLong(this.readWordOrThrow(arglist, "heartbeat interval in ms"));
                     break;
-                case USE_NBIO_CACHE:
+                case DISABLE_NBIO_CACHE:
                     arglist.removeFirst();
-                    this.useNBIOCache = true;
+                    this.useNBIOCache = false;
                     break;
                 case NBIO_CACHE_FORCE_UPDATE:
                     arglist.removeFirst();
diff --git a/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/resources/nbiocache.md b/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/resources/nbiocache.md
index 796a0347b..67f3c01a9 100644
--- a/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/resources/nbiocache.md
+++ b/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/resources/nbiocache.md
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ The following options are available via the command line to configure this featu
 
 ## Caching Options
 
-Enable caching. Note that by default caching is disabled. It may be turned on with the following parameter
+Disable caching. Note that by default caching is enabled. It may be turned off with the following parameter
 
-    --use-nbio-cache
+    --disable-nbio-cache
 
-If caching is enabled by default nb will use the directory `$HOME/.nosqlbench/nbiocache` to store files.
+If caching is enabled, nb will use the directory `$HOME/.nosqlbench/nbiocache` to store files.
 This location can be user specified with the parameter
 
     --nbio-cache-dir </user/specified/directory>