diff --git a/changes/ticket32410 b/changes/ticket32410
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..56368fe558
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/ticket32410
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+  o Minor features (relay):
+    - When the relay module is disabled, make "DirCache 0" the default.
+      Closes ticket 32410.
diff --git a/src/app/config/config.c b/src/app/config/config.c
index e223011fcf..5f9a55ed17 100644
--- a/src/app/config/config.c
+++ b/src/app/config/config.c
@@ -363,7 +363,13 @@ static const config_var_t option_vars_[] = {
   V(CircuitStreamTimeout,        INTERVAL, "0"),
   V(CircuitPriorityHalflife,     DOUBLE,  "-1.0"), /*negative:'Use default'*/
   V(ClientDNSRejectInternalAddresses, BOOL,"1"),
+#if defined(HAVE_MODULE_RELAY) || defined(TOR_UNIT_TESTS)
+  /* The unit tests expect the ClientOnly default to be 0. */
   V(ClientOnly,                  BOOL,     "0"),
+#else
+  /* We must be a Client if the relay module is disabled. */
+  V(ClientOnly,                  BOOL,     "1"),
+#endif /* defined(HAVE_MODULE_RELAY) || defined(TOR_UNIT_TESTS) */
   V(ClientPreferIPv6ORPort,      AUTOBOOL, "auto"),
   V(ClientPreferIPv6DirPort,     AUTOBOOL, "auto"),
   V(ClientAutoIPv6ORPort,        BOOL,     "0"),
@@ -400,7 +406,13 @@ static const config_var_t option_vars_[] = {
   V(DirPortFrontPage,            FILENAME, NULL),
   VAR("DirReqStatistics",        BOOL,     DirReqStatistics_option, "1"),
   VAR("DirAuthority",            LINELIST, DirAuthorities, NULL),
+#if defined(HAVE_MODULE_RELAY) || defined(TOR_UNIT_TESTS)
+  /* The unit tests expect the DirCache default to be 1. */
   V(DirCache,                    BOOL,     "1"),
+#else
+  /* We can't be a DirCache if the relay module is disabled. */
+  V(DirCache,                    BOOL,     "0"),
+#endif /* defined(HAVE_MODULE_RELAY) || defined(TOR_UNIT_TESTS) */
   /* A DirAuthorityFallbackRate of 0.1 means that 0.5% of clients try an
    * authority when all fallbacks are up, and 2% try an authority when 25% of
    * fallbacks are down. (We rebuild the list when 25% of fallbacks are down).
diff --git a/src/app/config/or_options_st.h b/src/app/config/or_options_st.h
index 1bbb2b97ec..5511763daa 100644
--- a/src/app/config/or_options_st.h
+++ b/src/app/config/or_options_st.h
@@ -573,7 +573,9 @@ struct or_options_t {
 
   int DirCache; /**< Cache all directory documents and accept requests via
                  * tunnelled dir conns from clients. If 1, enabled (default);
-                 * If 0, disabled. */
+                 * If 0, disabled. Use dir_server_mode() rather than
+                 * referencing this option directly. (Except for routermode
+                 * and relay_config, which do direct checks.) */
 
   char *VirtualAddrNetworkIPv4; /**< Address and mask to hand out for virtual
                                  * MAPADDRESS requests for IPv4 addresses */
diff --git a/src/feature/relay/relay_config.h b/src/feature/relay/relay_config.h
index 214f07efc2..5c36b43bd2 100644
--- a/src/feature/relay/relay_config.h
+++ b/src/feature/relay/relay_config.h
@@ -122,9 +122,6 @@ options_validate_relay_mode(const or_options_t *old_options,
     return -1;
   }
 
-  /* 31851 / 29211: Set this option the correct way */
-  options->ClientOnly = 1;
-
   return 0;
 }