diff --git a/prefs.cpp b/prefs.cpp
index 595d63b..6b09186 100644
--- a/prefs.cpp
+++ b/prefs.cpp
@@ -105,9 +105,15 @@ void prefs_t::init()
 	key("scores", scoredir, ""); desc("Score File Path");
 
 	comment("--- Global leaderboard ---------------------");
-	// Default off: this code is shipped dormant until the backend at
-	// leaderboard_url exists. Flip on once the server is live.
+	// Web build ships with the leaderboard on by default — players land on
+	// lindholm.dev/kobo/ specifically to play it. Native build stays off
+	// until the user opts in; a desktop player may not want network calls
+	// from a single-player arcade game.
+#ifdef __EMSCRIPTEN__
+	yesno("global_leaderboard", global_leaderboard, 1);
+#else
 	yesno("global_leaderboard", global_leaderboard, 0);
+#endif
 			desc("Submit Scores to Global Leaderboard");
 	key("leaderboard_board", leaderboard_board, "");
 			desc("Leaderboard Board Name (shared with friends)");