diff --git a/edb/common/debug.py b/edb/common/debug.py
index 6d9ed365dd6..051959e656c 100644
--- a/edb/common/debug.py
+++ b/edb/common/debug.py
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ class flags(metaclass=FlagsMeta):
 
     zombodb = Flag(doc="Enabled zombodb and disables postgres FTS")
 
-    persistent_cache = Flag(doc="Use persistent cache")
+    disable_persistent_cache = Flag(doc="Don't use persistent cache")
 
     # Function cache is an experimental feature that may not fully work
     func_cache = Flag(doc="Use stored functions for persistent cache")
diff --git a/edb/server/compiler/compiler.py b/edb/server/compiler/compiler.py
index 327bedd3ebc..3d9109b225a 100644
--- a/edb/server/compiler/compiler.py
+++ b/edb/server/compiler/compiler.py
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ def compile_request(
             request.protocol_version,
             request.inline_objectids,
             request.json_parameters,
-            persistent_cache=bool(debug.flags.persistent_cache),
+            persistent_cache=not debug.flags.disable_persistent_cache,
             cache_key=request.get_cache_key(),
         )
         return units, cstate
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ def compile_in_tx_request(
             request.inline_objectids,
             request.json_parameters,
             expect_rollback=expect_rollback,
-            persistent_cache=bool(debug.flags.persistent_cache),
+            persistent_cache=not debug.flags.disable_persistent_cache,
             cache_key=request.get_cache_key(),
         )
         return units, cstate
diff --git a/edb/server/dbview/dbview.pyx b/edb/server/dbview/dbview.pyx
index 7ef1f5c2b02..3b9e6c29db1 100644
--- a/edb/server/dbview/dbview.pyx
+++ b/edb/server/dbview/dbview.pyx
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ cdef class Database:
             query_req, unit_group = self._eql_to_compiled.cleanup_one()
             if len(unit_group) == 1:
                 keys.append(query_req.get_cache_key())
-        if keys and debug.flags.persistent_cache:
+        if keys and not debug.flags.disable_persistent_cache:
             self.tenant.create_task(
                 self.tenant.evict_query_cache(self.name, keys),
                 interruptable=True,
@@ -275,7 +275,8 @@ cdef class Database:
             async with self._introspection_lock:
                 if self.user_schema_pickle is None:
                     await self.tenant.introspect_db(
-                        self.name, hydrate_cache=debug.flags.persistent_cache
+                        self.name,
+                        hydrate_cache=not debug.flags.disable_persistent_cache,
                     )
 
 
@@ -713,7 +714,7 @@ cdef class DatabaseConnectionView:
 
         if not self._in_tx:
             self._db._cache_compiled_query(key, query_unit_group)
-        elif not self._in_tx_with_ddl and not debug.flags.persistent_cache:
+        elif not self._in_tx_with_ddl and debug.flags.disable_persistent_cache:
             self._db._cache_compiled_query(key, query_unit_group)
         # Query compiled in transaction is not yet cached when persistent_cache
         # is turned on, because eviction of such query would fail if the tx
diff --git a/edb/server/protocol/execute.pyx b/edb/server/protocol/execute.pyx
index 02f491bdde1..cbd6d3a66fb 100644
--- a/edb/server/protocol/execute.pyx
+++ b/edb/server/protocol/execute.pyx
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ async def execute(
     # This flag indicates both features are in use, and we actually have
     # recompiled the query cache to persist.
     persist_recompiled_query_cache = bool(
-        debug.flags.persistent_cache and compiled.recompiled_cache)
+        not debug.flags.disable_persistent_cache and compiled.recompiled_cache)
 
     data = None