diff --git a/app/graphql/types/base_field.rb b/app/graphql/types/base_field.rb
index 47caf83eb1c9d49145bc7059cc753c861d222fe9..ce2f184bcb445955dbdaffc2cc660294537e41db 100644
--- a/app/graphql/types/base_field.rb
+++ b/app/graphql/types/base_field.rb
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def constant_complexity?
     end
 
     def visible?(context)
-      return false if feature_flag.present? && !Feature.enabled?(feature_flag)
+      return false if feature_flag.present? && !Feature.enabled?(feature_flag, default_enabled: :yaml)
 
       super
     end
diff --git a/spec/graphql/features/feature_flag_spec.rb b/spec/graphql/features/feature_flag_spec.rb
index 30238cf9cb34690cf4716a4f58bd848bee1a4aa6..e5560fccf894c09c21befa4d101250c862163530 100644
--- a/spec/graphql/features/feature_flag_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/graphql/features/feature_flag_spec.rb
@@ -28,14 +28,25 @@
       end
     end
 
-    it 'returns the value when feature is enabled' do
-      expect(subject['item']).to eq('name' => test_object.name)
+    it 'checks YAML definition for default_enabled' do
+      # Exception is indicative of a check for YAML definition
+      expect { subject }.to raise_error(Feature::InvalidFeatureFlagError, /The feature flag YAML definition for '#{feature_flag}' does not exist/)
     end
 
-    it 'returns nil when the feature is disabled' do
-      stub_feature_flags(feature_flag => false)
+    context 'skipping YAML check' do
+      before do
+        skip_default_enabled_yaml_check
+      end
+
+      it 'returns the value when feature is enabled' do
+        expect(subject['item']).to eq('name' => test_object.name)
+      end
 
-      expect(subject).to be_nil
+      it 'returns nil when the feature is disabled' do
+        stub_feature_flags(feature_flag => false)
+
+        expect(subject).to be_nil
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/graphql/types/base_field_spec.rb b/spec/graphql/types/base_field_spec.rb
index 54b59317b55894f590115490c889a55e296b1e97..ebdb3299bc9196b7f4cabe32eb625fe60a3f0016 100644
--- a/spec/graphql/types/base_field_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/graphql/types/base_field_spec.rb
@@ -130,14 +130,25 @@ def self.complexity_multiplier(args)
           skip_feature_flags_yaml_validation
         end
 
-        it 'returns false if the feature is not enabled' do
-          stub_feature_flags(flag => false)
-
-          expect(field.visible?(context)).to eq(false)
+        it 'checks YAML definition for default_enabled' do
+          # Exception is indicative of a check for YAML definition
+          expect { field.visible?(context) }.to raise_error(Feature::InvalidFeatureFlagError, /The feature flag YAML definition for '#{flag}' does not exist/)
         end
 
-        it 'returns true if the feature is enabled' do
-          expect(field.visible?(context)).to eq(true)
+        context 'skipping YAML check' do
+          before do
+            skip_default_enabled_yaml_check
+          end
+
+          it 'returns false if the feature is not enabled' do
+            stub_feature_flags(flag => false)
+
+            expect(field.visible?(context)).to eq(false)
+          end
+
+          it 'returns true if the feature is enabled' do
+            expect(field.visible?(context)).to eq(true)
+          end
         end
       end
     end