diff --git a/Exec/Make.Castro b/Exec/Make.Castro
index 106ef51cc0..b0dadd359c 100644
--- a/Exec/Make.Castro
+++ b/Exec/Make.Castro
@@ -235,6 +235,10 @@ ifeq ($(USE_HYBRID_MOMENTUM), TRUE)
   endif
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(USE_REACT), TRUE)
+  USE_SHOCK_VAR = TRUE
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(USE_SHOCK_VAR), TRUE)
   DEFINES += -DSHOCK_VAR
 endif
diff --git a/Source/driver/Castro.cpp b/Source/driver/Castro.cpp
index 6149e7f988..682cc6f415 100644
--- a/Source/driver/Castro.cpp
+++ b/Source/driver/Castro.cpp
@@ -416,9 +416,11 @@ Castro::read_params ()
 #endif
 
 #ifndef SHOCK_VAR
+#ifdef REACTIONS
    if (disable_shock_burning != 0) {
        amrex::Error("ERROR: disable_shock_burning requires compiling with USE_SHOCK_VAR=TRUE");
    }
+#endif
 #endif
 
     if (riemann_solver == 1) {
diff --git a/Source/driver/_cpp_parameters b/Source/driver/_cpp_parameters
index 4983d32b86..e8b9269919 100644
--- a/Source/driver/_cpp_parameters
+++ b/Source/driver/_cpp_parameters
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ react_rho_max                Real          1.e200
 
 # disable burning inside hydrodynamic shock regions
 # note: requires compiling with `USE_SHOCK_VAR=TRUE`
-disable_shock_burning        bool           0
+disable_shock_burning        bool           1
 
 # shock detection threshold for grad{P} / P
 shock_detection_threshold    Real          0.6666666666666666666666_rt