diff --git a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/BigtableClientContext.java b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/BigtableClientContext.java
index c4f882e2f7..12cab879fc 100644
--- a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/BigtableClientContext.java
+++ b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/BigtableClientContext.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.data.v2.internal.csm.MetricsImpl;
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.data.v2.internal.csm.attributes.ClientInfo;
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.data.v2.internal.dp.AlwaysEnabledDirectAccessChecker;
+import com.google.cloud.bigtable.data.v2.internal.dp.ClassicDirectAccessChecker;
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.data.v2.internal.dp.DirectAccessChecker;
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.data.v2.internal.dp.NoopDirectAccessChecker;
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.data.v2.stub.metrics.CustomOpenTelemetryMetricsProvider;
@@ -170,9 +171,14 @@ public static BigtableClientContext create(
           directAccessChecker = AlwaysEnabledDirectAccessChecker.INSTANCE;
           break;
         case FORCED_OFF:
-        case DEFAULT:
           directAccessChecker = NoopDirectAccessChecker.INSTANCE;
           break;
+        case DEFAULT:
+        default:
+          directAccessChecker =
+              new ClassicDirectAccessChecker(
+                  metrics.getDirectPathCompatibleTracer(), channelPrimer, backgroundExecutor);
+          break;
       }
 
       BigtableTransportChannelProvider btTransportProvider =
diff --git a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.java b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.java
index dcd0879b40..9a7944fbf3 100644
--- a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.java
+++ b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.java
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ public String getProjectId() {
 
   @InternalApi
   public DirectPathConfig getDirectPathConfig() {
-    return DIRECT_PATH_CONFIG;
+    return this.directPathConfig;
   }
 
   /** Returns the target instance id. */
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ private Builder() {
 
       // TODO: flip the bit setDirectAccessRequested and setTrafficDirectorEnabled  once we make
       // client compatible by default.
-      boolean isDirectPathRequested = directPathConfig == DirectPathConfig.FORCED_ON;
+      boolean isDirectPathRequested = directPathConfig != DirectPathConfig.FORCED_OFF;
       featureFlags =
           FeatureFlags.newBuilder()
               .setReverseScans(true)
diff --git a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/BigtableDataClientFactoryTest.java b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/BigtableDataClientFactoryTest.java
index aa8ec31137..30a4853a61 100644
--- a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/BigtableDataClientFactoryTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/BigtableDataClientFactoryTest.java
@@ -264,12 +264,103 @@ public void testCreateWithRefreshingChannel() throws Exception {
             .setInstanceId(DEFAULT_INSTANCE_ID)
             .setAppProfileId(DEFAULT_APP_PROFILE_ID)
             .setRefreshingChannel(true);
+    builder
+        .stubSettings()
+        .setCredentialsProvider(credentialsProvider)
+        .setStreamWatchdogProvider(watchdogProvider)
+        .setBackgroundExecutorProvider(executorProvider);
+    InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider channelProvider =
+        (InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider) builder.stubSettings().getTransportChannelProvider();
+    InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider.Builder channelProviderBuilder = channelProvider.toBuilder();
+    channelProviderBuilder.setChannelPoolSettings(ChannelPoolSettings.staticallySized(poolSize));
+    builder.stubSettings().setTransportChannelProvider(channelProviderBuilder.build());
+
+    BigtableDataClientFactory factory = BigtableDataClientFactory.create(builder.build());
+    factory.createDefault();
+    factory.createForAppProfile("other-appprofile");
+    factory.createForInstance("other-project", "other-instance");
+
+    // Make sure that only 1 instance is created by each provider
+    // getCredentials was called twice, in patchCredentials and when creating the fixed credentials
+    // in BigtableClientContext
+    Mockito.verify(credentialsProvider, Mockito.times(2)).getCredentials();
+    Mockito.verify(executorProvider, Mockito.times(1)).getExecutor();
+    Mockito.verify(watchdogProvider, Mockito.times(1)).getWatchdog();
+    assertThat(warmedChannels).hasSize(poolSize + 1);
+    assertThat(warmedChannels.values()).doesNotContain(false);
+
+    // Wait for all the connections to close asynchronously
+    factory.close();
+    long sleepTimeMs = 1000;
+    Thread.sleep(sleepTimeMs);
+    // Verify that all the channels are closed
+    assertThat(terminateAttributes).hasSize(poolSize + 1);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testCreateWithRefreshingChannelWithDirectAccessByDefault() throws Exception {
+    int poolSize = 3;
+    // TODO: remove the suppression when setRefreshingChannel can be removed
+    @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
+    BigtableDataSettings.Builder builder =
+        BigtableDataSettings.newBuilderForEmulator(server.getPort())
+            .setProjectId(DEFAULT_PROJECT_ID)
+            .setInstanceId(DEFAULT_INSTANCE_ID)
+            .setAppProfileId(DEFAULT_APP_PROFILE_ID)
+            .setRefreshingChannel(true);
+    builder
+        .stubSettings()
+        .setCredentialsProvider(credentialsProvider)
+        .setStreamWatchdogProvider(watchdogProvider)
+        .setBackgroundExecutorProvider(executorProvider)
+        .setDirectPathConfig(EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.DirectPathConfig.DEFAULT);
+    InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider channelProvider =
+        (InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider) builder.stubSettings().getTransportChannelProvider();
+    InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider.Builder channelProviderBuilder = channelProvider.toBuilder();
+    channelProviderBuilder.setChannelPoolSettings(ChannelPoolSettings.staticallySized(poolSize));
+    builder.stubSettings().setTransportChannelProvider(channelProviderBuilder.build());
+
+    BigtableDataClientFactory factory = BigtableDataClientFactory.create(builder.build());
+    factory.createDefault();
+    factory.createForAppProfile("other-appprofile");
+    factory.createForInstance("other-project", "other-instance");
+
+    // Make sure that only 1 instance is created by each provider
+    // getCredentials was called twice, in patchCredentials and when creating the fixed credentials
+    // in BigtableClientContext
+    Mockito.verify(credentialsProvider, Mockito.times(2)).getCredentials();
+    Mockito.verify(executorProvider, Mockito.times(1)).getExecutor();
+    Mockito.verify(watchdogProvider, Mockito.times(1)).getWatchdog();
+    assertThat(warmedChannels).hasSize(poolSize + 1);
+    assertThat(warmedChannels.values()).doesNotContain(false);
+
+    // Wait for all the connections to close asynchronously
+    factory.close();
+    long sleepTimeMs = 1000;
+    Thread.sleep(sleepTimeMs);
+    // Verify that all the channels are closed
+    // If we have DEFAULT, it will add one channel temporily
+    assertThat(terminateAttributes).hasSize(poolSize + 1);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testCreateWithRefreshingChannelDisableDirectAccess() throws Exception {
+    int poolSize = 3;
+    // TODO: remove the suppression when setRefreshingChannel can be removed
+    @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
+    BigtableDataSettings.Builder builder =
+        BigtableDataSettings.newBuilderForEmulator(server.getPort())
+            .setProjectId(DEFAULT_PROJECT_ID)
+            .setInstanceId(DEFAULT_INSTANCE_ID)
+            .setAppProfileId(DEFAULT_APP_PROFILE_ID)
+            .setRefreshingChannel(true);
+
     builder
         .stubSettings()
         .setCredentialsProvider(credentialsProvider)
         .setStreamWatchdogProvider(watchdogProvider)
         .setBackgroundExecutorProvider(executorProvider)
-        .setDirectPathConfig(EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.DirectPathConfig.FORCED_ON);
+        .setDirectPathConfig(EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.DirectPathConfig.FORCED_OFF);
     InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider channelProvider =
         (InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider) builder.stubSettings().getTransportChannelProvider();
     InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider.Builder channelProviderBuilder = channelProvider.toBuilder();
@@ -295,6 +386,7 @@ public void testCreateWithRefreshingChannel() throws Exception {
     long sleepTimeMs = 1000;
     Thread.sleep(sleepTimeMs);
     // Verify that all the channels are closed
+    // If we have DEFAULT, it will add one channel temporily
     assertThat(terminateAttributes).hasSize(poolSize);
   }
 
diff --git a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubTest.java b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubTest.java
index bfc94dea50..462699bbd0 100644
--- a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubTest.java
@@ -549,11 +549,14 @@ public void testChannelPrimerConfigured() throws IOException {
     // TODO: remove the suppression once setRefreshingChannel can be removed
     @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
     EnhancedBigtableStubSettings settings =
-        defaultSettings.toBuilder().setRefreshingChannel(true).build();
+        defaultSettings.toBuilder()
+            .setRefreshingChannel(true)
+            .setDirectPathConfig(EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.DirectPathConfig.DEFAULT)
+            .build();
 
     try (EnhancedBigtableStub ignored = EnhancedBigtableStub.create(settings)) {
       // direct access checker ping
-      assertThat(fakeDataService.pingRequests).hasSize(1);
+      assertThat(fakeDataService.pingRequests).hasSize(2);
     }
   }