diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java
index 50eca10ca0..bdc4c9f61d 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java
@@ -587,9 +587,10 @@ public class BesuCommand implements DefaultCommandValues, Runnable {
 
   @Option(
       names = {"--pruning-enabled"},
+      hidden = true,
       description =
-          "Enable pruning of world state of blocks older than the retention period (default: true if fast sync is enabled, false otherwise)")
-  private Boolean pruningOverride;
+          "Enable pruning of world state of blocks older than the retention period (default: ${DEFAULT-VALUE})")
+  private final Boolean isPruningEnabled = false;
 
   @Option(
       names = {"--pruning-blocks-retained"},
@@ -1011,7 +1012,7 @@ public class BesuCommand implements DefaultCommandValues, Runnable {
         logger,
         commandLine,
         "--pruning-enabled",
-        !isPruningEnabled(),
+        !isPruningEnabled,
         asList("--pruning-block-confirmations", "--pruning-blocks-retained"));
   }
 
@@ -1087,7 +1088,7 @@ public class BesuCommand implements DefaultCommandValues, Runnable {
           .clock(Clock.systemUTC())
           .isRevertReasonEnabled(isRevertReasonEnabled)
           .storageProvider(keyStorageProvider(keyValueStorageName))
-          .isPruningEnabled(isPruningEnabled())
+          .isPruningEnabled(isPruningEnabled)
           .pruningConfiguration(buildPruningConfiguration())
           .genesisConfigOverrides(genesisConfigOverrides)
           .targetGasLimit(targetGasLimit == null ? Optional.empty() : Optional.of(targetGasLimit))
@@ -1374,10 +1375,6 @@ public class BesuCommand implements DefaultCommandValues, Runnable {
     return new PruningConfiguration(pruningBlockConfirmations, pruningBlocksRetained);
   }
 
-  private boolean isPruningEnabled() {
-    return Optional.ofNullable(pruningOverride).orElse(syncMode == SyncMode.FAST);
-  }
-
   // Blockchain synchronisation from peers.
   private void synchronize(
       final BesuController<?> controller,
diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerBuilder.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerBuilder.java
index c52bbadf5d..472245fb07 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerBuilder.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerBuilder.java
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ public abstract class BesuControllerBuilder<C> {
     return this;
   }
 
-  public BesuControllerBuilder<C> isPruningEnabled(final boolean isPruningEnabled) {
-    this.isPruningEnabled = isPruningEnabled;
+  public BesuControllerBuilder<C> isPruningEnabled(final boolean pruningEnabled) {
+    this.isPruningEnabled = pruningEnabled;
     return this;
   }
 
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommandTest.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommandTest.java
index bbc0f75fba..5704da843e 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommandTest.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommandTest.java
@@ -2327,29 +2327,7 @@ public class BesuCommandTest extends CommandTestAbstract {
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void pruningIsEnabledIfSyncModeIsFast() {
-    parseCommand("--sync-mode", "FAST");
-
-    verify(mockControllerBuilder).isPruningEnabled(true);
-    verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
-
-    assertThat(commandOutput.toString()).isEmpty();
-    assertThat(commandErrorOutput.toString()).isEmpty();
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void pruningIsDisabledIfSyncModeIsFull() {
-    parseCommand("--sync-mode", "FULL");
-
-    verify(mockControllerBuilder).isPruningEnabled(false);
-    verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
-
-    assertThat(commandOutput.toString()).isEmpty();
-    assertThat(commandErrorOutput.toString()).isEmpty();
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void pruningEnabledExplicitly() {
+  public void pruningIsEnabledWhenSpecified() throws Exception {
     parseCommand("--pruning-enabled");
 
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).isPruningEnabled(true);
@@ -2359,17 +2337,6 @@ public class BesuCommandTest extends CommandTestAbstract {
     assertThat(commandErrorOutput.toString()).isEmpty();
   }
 
-  @Test
-  public void pruningDisabledExplicitly() {
-    parseCommand("--pruning-enabled=false");
-
-    verify(mockControllerBuilder).isPruningEnabled(false);
-    verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
-
-    assertThat(commandOutput.toString()).isEmpty();
-    assertThat(commandErrorOutput.toString()).isEmpty();
-  }
-
   @Test
   public void pruningOptionsRequiresServiceToBeEnabled() {
 
diff --git a/besu/src/test/resources/everything_config.toml b/besu/src/test/resources/everything_config.toml
index b480d4f125..dfa3c03285 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/resources/everything_config.toml
+++ b/besu/src/test/resources/everything_config.toml
@@ -83,9 +83,6 @@ miner-coinbase="0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000002"
 miner-extra-data="0x444F4E27542050414E4943202120484F444C2C20484F444C2C20484F444C2021"
 min-gas-price=1
 
-# Pruning
-pruning-enabled=true
-
 # Permissioning
 permissions-nodes-config-file-enabled=false
 permissions-nodes-config-file="./permissions_config.toml"