diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 2dd3b984..3e13cdeb 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ prompt_for_radio_build_settings() {
 prompt_for_firmware_profile_settings() {
   local -a options=(
     "Keep target defaults"
-    "Cascade: path.hash.mode=2 / loop.detect=minimal / rxdelay=2 / agc.reset.interval=8 / advert.interval=0 / flood.advert.interval=83 / multi.acks=1 / companion.manual.add=1 / companion.autoadd=0"
+    "Cascade: path.hash.mode=2 / loop.detect=minimal / cad=on / rxdelay=2 / agc.reset.interval=8 / advert.interval=0 / flood.advert.interval=83 / multi.acks=1 / companion.manual.add=1 / companion.autoadd=0"
   )
 
   clear_firmware_profile_overrides
@@ -1807,7 +1807,7 @@ apply_radio_overrides() {
 apply_firmware_profile_overrides() {
   case "${FIRMWARE_PROFILE_OVERRIDE,,}" in
     cascade)
-      export PLATFORMIO_BUILD_FLAGS="${PLATFORMIO_BUILD_FLAGS} -DCASCADE_PROFILE=1 -DDEFAULT_PATH_HASH_MODE=2 -DDEFAULT_LOOP_DETECT=1 -DDEFAULT_RX_DELAY_BASE=2.0f -DDEFAULT_AGC_RESET_INTERVAL_SECONDS=8 -DDEFAULT_ADVERT_INTERVAL_MINUTES=0 -DDEFAULT_FLOOD_ADVERT_INTERVAL_HOURS=83 -DDEFAULT_MULTI_ACKS=1 -DDEFAULT_MANUAL_ADD_CONTACTS=1 -DDEFAULT_AUTOADD_CONFIG=0"
+      export PLATFORMIO_BUILD_FLAGS="${PLATFORMIO_BUILD_FLAGS} -DCASCADE_PROFILE=1 -DDEFAULT_PATH_HASH_MODE=2 -DDEFAULT_LOOP_DETECT=1 -DDEFAULT_CAD_ENABLED=1 -DDEFAULT_RX_DELAY_BASE=2.0f -DDEFAULT_AGC_RESET_INTERVAL_SECONDS=8 -DDEFAULT_ADVERT_INTERVAL_MINUTES=0 -DDEFAULT_FLOOD_ADVERT_INTERVAL_HOURS=83 -DDEFAULT_MULTI_ACKS=1 -DDEFAULT_MANUAL_ADD_CONTACTS=1 -DDEFAULT_AUTOADD_CONFIG=0"
       ;;
   esac
 }
diff --git a/docs/cli_commands.md b/docs/cli_commands.md
index 97de94d8..dc2088e1 100644
--- a/docs/cli_commands.md
+++ b/docs/cli_commands.md
@@ -928,6 +928,8 @@ get clock.sync.status
 
 **Description:** When enabled, the radio performs a hardware Channel Activity Detection scan before transmitting and defers if the channel is busy. Runs independently of `int.thresh` - either, both, or none may be active.
 
+The Cascade firmware profile defaults CAD to `on`; target-default builds continue to default it to `off`.
+
 **Parameters:**
 - `on|off`: Enable or disable hardware CAD
 
diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
index 8a434b7a..a9f781b7 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -2516,7 +2516,7 @@ MyMesh::MyMesh(mesh::MainBoard &board, mesh::Radio &radio, mesh::MillisecondCloc
   _prefs.flood_max_unscoped = 64;
   _prefs.flood_max_advert = 8;
   _prefs.interference_threshold = 0; // disabled
-  _prefs.cad_enabled = 0;            // hardware CAD before TX (off by default; 'set cad on')
+  _prefs.cad_enabled = DEFAULT_CAD_ENABLED; // Cascade defaults CAD on; target default remains off
   _prefs.agc_reset_interval = DEFAULT_AGC_RESET_INTERVAL_SECONDS / 4;
   _prefs.multi_acks = DEFAULT_MULTI_ACKS;
   _prefs.path_hash_mode = DEFAULT_PATH_HASH_MODE;
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
index 8608ff37..b614d3aa 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ MyMesh::MyMesh(mesh::MainBoard &board, mesh::Radio &radio, mesh::MillisecondCloc
   _prefs.flood_retry_group_max_path = FLOOD_RETRY_GROUP_MAX_PATH_DEFAULT;
   _prefs.interference_threshold = 0; // disabled
   _prefs.radio_fem_rxgain = 1;       // LoRa FEM RX gain on by default (FEM boards)
-  _prefs.cad_enabled = 0;            // hardware CAD before TX (off by default; 'set cad on')
+  _prefs.cad_enabled = DEFAULT_CAD_ENABLED; // Cascade defaults CAD on; target default remains off
   _prefs.rx_ps_rx_us = RX_POWERSAVING_DEFAULT_RX_US;
   _prefs.rx_ps_sleep_us = RX_POWERSAVING_DEFAULT_SLEEP_US;
 #ifdef ROOM_PASSWORD
diff --git a/examples/simple_sensor/SensorMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_sensor/SensorMesh.cpp
index 058f4801..88c47de1 100644
--- a/examples/simple_sensor/SensorMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_sensor/SensorMesh.cpp
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ SensorMesh::SensorMesh(mesh::MainBoard& board, mesh::Radio& radio, mesh::Millise
   _prefs.flood_retry_group_max_path = FLOOD_RETRY_GROUP_MAX_PATH_DEFAULT;
   _prefs.interference_threshold = 0;  // disabled
   _prefs.radio_fem_rxgain = 1;        // LoRa FEM RX gain on by default (FEM boards)
-  _prefs.cad_enabled = 0;             // hardware CAD before TX (off by default; 'set cad on')
+  _prefs.cad_enabled = DEFAULT_CAD_ENABLED; // Cascade defaults CAD on; target default remains off
   _prefs.rx_ps_rx_us = RX_POWERSAVING_DEFAULT_RX_US;
   _prefs.rx_ps_sleep_us = RX_POWERSAVING_DEFAULT_SLEEP_US;
 
diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
index 82c549d1..45b8e000 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
@@ -956,9 +956,9 @@ void CommonCLI::loadPrefsInt(FILESYSTEM* fs, const char* filename) {
     // extra length, skip the gap, and recover the tail so those settings survive
     // the upgrade (the file is rewritten in the new layout by loadPrefs afterwards).
     // Defaults for the trailing fields that older/shorter files may not contain.
-    // (upstream defaults: FEM RX gain on, CAD off) - overwritten below if present.
+    // Build-profile defaults - overwritten below when the saved field is present.
     _prefs->radio_fem_rxgain = 1;
-    _prefs->cad_enabled = 0;
+    _prefs->cad_enabled = DEFAULT_CAD_ENABLED;
     _prefs->rx_powersaving_enabled = 0;
     _prefs->rx_ps_rx_us = RX_POWERSAVING_DEFAULT_RX_US;
     _prefs->rx_ps_sleep_us = RX_POWERSAVING_DEFAULT_SLEEP_US;
diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h
index 0f23281f..6159797d 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 #include <helpers/MQTTPrefs.h>
 #include <helpers/RegionMap.h>
 
+#ifndef DEFAULT_CAD_ENABLED
+  #define DEFAULT_CAD_ENABLED 0
+#endif
+
 #if defined(WITH_RS232_BRIDGE) || defined(WITH_ESPNOW_BRIDGE) || defined(WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE)
 #define WITH_BRIDGE
 #endif