diff --git a/service/ServiceConnectivityResources/res/values/config_thread.xml b/service/ServiceConnectivityResources/res/values/config_thread.xml
index 14b5427..f7e47f5 100644
--- a/service/ServiceConnectivityResources/res/values/config_thread.xml
+++ b/service/ServiceConnectivityResources/res/values/config_thread.xml
@@ -20,10 +20,15 @@
 -->
 
 <resources xmlns:xliff="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2">
+    <!-- Sets to {@code true} to enable Thread on the device by default. Note this is the default
+    value, the actual Thread enabled state can be changed by the {@link
+    ThreadNetworkController#setEnabled} API.
+    -->
+    <bool name="config_thread_default_enabled">true</bool>
+
     <!-- Whether to use location APIs in the algorithm to determine country code or not.
     If disabled, will use other sources (telephony, wifi, etc) to determine device location for
     Thread Network regulatory purposes.
     -->
     <bool name="config_thread_location_use_for_country_code_enabled">true</bool>
-
 </resources>
diff --git a/service/ServiceConnectivityResources/res/values/overlayable.xml b/service/ServiceConnectivityResources/res/values/overlayable.xml
index f2c4d91..d9af5a3 100644
--- a/service/ServiceConnectivityResources/res/values/overlayable.xml
+++ b/service/ServiceConnectivityResources/res/values/overlayable.xml
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
             <item type="integer" name="config_netstats_validate_import" />
 
             <!-- Configuration values for ThreadNetworkService -->
+            <item type="bool" name="config_thread_default_enabled" />
             <item type="bool" name="config_thread_location_use_for_country_code_enabled" />
         </policy>
     </overlayable>
diff --git a/thread/service/java/com/android/server/thread/ThreadNetworkService.java b/thread/service/java/com/android/server/thread/ThreadNetworkService.java
index 5cf27f7..5664922 100644
--- a/thread/service/java/com/android/server/thread/ThreadNetworkService.java
+++ b/thread/service/java/com/android/server/thread/ThreadNetworkService.java
@@ -18,21 +18,16 @@
 
 import static android.content.pm.PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED;
 
-import static com.android.net.module.util.DeviceConfigUtils.TETHERING_MODULE_NAME;
-
 import android.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.annotation.Nullable;
-import android.content.ApexEnvironment;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.net.thread.IThreadNetworkController;
 import android.net.thread.IThreadNetworkManager;
 import android.os.Binder;
 import android.os.ParcelFileDescriptor;
-import android.util.AtomicFile;
 
 import com.android.server.SystemService;
 
-import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileDescriptor;
 import java.io.PrintWriter;
 import java.util.Collections;
@@ -51,12 +46,7 @@
     /** Creates a new {@link ThreadNetworkService} object. */
     public ThreadNetworkService(Context context) {
         mContext = context;
-        mPersistentSettings =
-                new ThreadPersistentSettings(
-                        new AtomicFile(
-                                new File(
-                                        getOrCreateThreadnetworkDir(),
-                                        ThreadPersistentSettings.FILE_NAME)));
+        mPersistentSettings = ThreadPersistentSettings.newInstance(context);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -123,19 +113,4 @@
 
         pw.println();
     }
-
-    /** Get device protected storage dir for the tethering apex. */
-    private static File getOrCreateThreadnetworkDir() {
-        final File threadnetworkDir;
-        final File apexDataDir =
-                ApexEnvironment.getApexEnvironment(TETHERING_MODULE_NAME)
-                        .getDeviceProtectedDataDir();
-        threadnetworkDir = new File(apexDataDir, "thread");
-
-        if (threadnetworkDir.exists() || threadnetworkDir.mkdirs()) {
-            return threadnetworkDir;
-        }
-        throw new IllegalStateException(
-                "Cannot write into thread network data directory: " + threadnetworkDir);
-    }
 }
diff --git a/thread/service/java/com/android/server/thread/ThreadPersistentSettings.java b/thread/service/java/com/android/server/thread/ThreadPersistentSettings.java
index d32f0bf..aba4193 100644
--- a/thread/service/java/com/android/server/thread/ThreadPersistentSettings.java
+++ b/thread/service/java/com/android/server/thread/ThreadPersistentSettings.java
@@ -16,15 +16,23 @@
 
 package com.android.server.thread;
 
+import static com.android.net.module.util.DeviceConfigUtils.TETHERING_MODULE_NAME;
+
 import android.annotation.Nullable;
+import android.content.ApexEnvironment;
+import android.content.Context;
 import android.os.PersistableBundle;
 import android.util.AtomicFile;
 import android.util.Log;
 
+import com.android.connectivity.resources.R;
 import com.android.internal.annotations.GuardedBy;
+import com.android.internal.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
+import com.android.server.connectivity.ConnectivityResources;
 
 import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
+import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileInputStream;
 import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
 import java.io.FileOutputStream;
@@ -39,7 +47,7 @@
 public class ThreadPersistentSettings {
     private static final String TAG = "ThreadPersistentSettings";
     /** File name used for storing settings. */
-    public static final String FILE_NAME = "ThreadPersistentSettings.xml";
+    private static final String FILE_NAME = "ThreadPersistentSettings.xml";
     /** Current config store data version. This will be incremented for any additions. */
     private static final int CURRENT_SETTINGS_STORE_DATA_VERSION = 1;
     /**
@@ -62,16 +70,29 @@
     @GuardedBy("mLock")
     private final PersistableBundle mSettings = new PersistableBundle();
 
-    public ThreadPersistentSettings(AtomicFile atomicFile) {
+    private final ConnectivityResources mResources;
+
+    public static ThreadPersistentSettings newInstance(Context context) {
+        return new ThreadPersistentSettings(
+                new AtomicFile(new File(getOrCreateThreadNetworkDir(), FILE_NAME)),
+                new ConnectivityResources(context));
+    }
+
+    @VisibleForTesting
+    ThreadPersistentSettings(AtomicFile atomicFile, ConnectivityResources resources) {
         mAtomicFile = atomicFile;
+        mResources = resources;
     }
 
     /** Initialize the settings by reading from the settings file. */
     public void initialize() {
         readFromStoreFile();
         synchronized (mLock) {
-            if (mSettings.isEmpty()) {
-                put(THREAD_ENABLED.key, THREAD_ENABLED.defaultValue);
+            if (!mSettings.containsKey(THREAD_ENABLED.key)) {
+                Log.i(TAG, "\"thread_enabled\" is missing in settings file, using default value");
+                put(
+                        THREAD_ENABLED.key,
+                        mResources.get().getBoolean(R.bool.config_thread_default_enabled));
             }
         }
     }
@@ -240,4 +261,19 @@
             throw e;
         }
     }
+
+    /** Get device protected storage dir for the tethering apex. */
+    private static File getOrCreateThreadNetworkDir() {
+        final File threadnetworkDir;
+        final File apexDataDir =
+                ApexEnvironment.getApexEnvironment(TETHERING_MODULE_NAME)
+                        .getDeviceProtectedDataDir();
+        threadnetworkDir = new File(apexDataDir, "thread");
+
+        if (threadnetworkDir.exists() || threadnetworkDir.mkdirs()) {
+            return threadnetworkDir;
+        }
+        throw new IllegalStateException(
+                "Cannot write into thread network data directory: " + threadnetworkDir);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/thread/tests/unit/src/android/net/thread/ThreadPersistentSettingsTest.java b/thread/tests/unit/src/com/android/server/thread/ThreadPersistentSettingsTest.java
similarity index 67%
rename from thread/tests/unit/src/android/net/thread/ThreadPersistentSettingsTest.java
rename to thread/tests/unit/src/com/android/server/thread/ThreadPersistentSettingsTest.java
index 11aabb8..927b5ae 100644
--- a/thread/tests/unit/src/android/net/thread/ThreadPersistentSettingsTest.java
+++ b/thread/tests/unit/src/com/android/server/thread/ThreadPersistentSettingsTest.java
@@ -23,18 +23,22 @@
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.any;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyInt;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.doAnswer;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.eq;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
-import static org.mockito.Mockito.never;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.validateMockitoUsage;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
+import android.content.res.Resources;
 import android.os.PersistableBundle;
 import android.test.suitebuilder.annotation.SmallTest;
 import android.util.AtomicFile;
 
 import androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnit4;
 
+import com.android.connectivity.resources.R;
+import com.android.server.connectivity.ConnectivityResources;
+
 import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -51,16 +55,22 @@
 @SmallTest
 public class ThreadPersistentSettingsTest {
     @Mock private AtomicFile mAtomicFile;
+    @Mock Resources mResources;
+    @Mock ConnectivityResources mConnectivityResources;
 
-    private ThreadPersistentSettings mThreadPersistentSetting;
+    private ThreadPersistentSettings mThreadPersistentSettings;
 
     @Before
     public void setUp() throws Exception {
         MockitoAnnotations.initMocks(this);
 
+        when(mConnectivityResources.get()).thenReturn(mResources);
+        when(mResources.getBoolean(eq(R.bool.config_thread_default_enabled))).thenReturn(true);
+
         FileOutputStream fos = mock(FileOutputStream.class);
         when(mAtomicFile.startWrite()).thenReturn(fos);
-        mThreadPersistentSetting = new ThreadPersistentSettings(mAtomicFile);
+        mThreadPersistentSettings =
+                new ThreadPersistentSettings(mAtomicFile, mConnectivityResources);
     }
 
     /** Called after each test */
@@ -70,10 +80,42 @@
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void put_ThreadFeatureEnabledTrue_returnsTrue() throws Exception {
-        mThreadPersistentSetting.put(THREAD_ENABLED.key, true);
+    public void initialize_readsFromFile() throws Exception {
+        byte[] data = createXmlForParsing(THREAD_ENABLED.key, false);
+        setupAtomicFileMockForRead(data);
 
-        assertThat(mThreadPersistentSetting.get(THREAD_ENABLED)).isTrue();
+        mThreadPersistentSettings.initialize();
+
+        assertThat(mThreadPersistentSettings.get(THREAD_ENABLED)).isFalse();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void initialize_ThreadDisabledInResources_returnsThreadDisabled() throws Exception {
+        when(mResources.getBoolean(eq(R.bool.config_thread_default_enabled))).thenReturn(false);
+        setupAtomicFileMockForRead(new byte[0]);
+
+        mThreadPersistentSettings.initialize();
+
+        assertThat(mThreadPersistentSettings.get(THREAD_ENABLED)).isFalse();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void initialize_ThreadDisabledInResourcesButEnabledInXml_returnsThreadEnabled()
+            throws Exception {
+        when(mResources.getBoolean(eq(R.bool.config_thread_default_enabled))).thenReturn(false);
+        byte[] data = createXmlForParsing(THREAD_ENABLED.key, true);
+        setupAtomicFileMockForRead(data);
+
+        mThreadPersistentSettings.initialize();
+
+        assertThat(mThreadPersistentSettings.get(THREAD_ENABLED)).isTrue();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void put_ThreadFeatureEnabledTrue_returnsTrue() throws Exception {
+        mThreadPersistentSettings.put(THREAD_ENABLED.key, true);
+
+        assertThat(mThreadPersistentSettings.get(THREAD_ENABLED)).isTrue();
         // Confirm that file writes have been triggered.
         verify(mAtomicFile).startWrite();
         verify(mAtomicFile).finishWrite(any());
@@ -81,26 +123,14 @@
 
     @Test
     public void put_ThreadFeatureEnabledFalse_returnsFalse() throws Exception {
-        mThreadPersistentSetting.put(THREAD_ENABLED.key, false);
+        mThreadPersistentSettings.put(THREAD_ENABLED.key, false);
 
-        assertThat(mThreadPersistentSetting.get(THREAD_ENABLED)).isFalse();
+        assertThat(mThreadPersistentSettings.get(THREAD_ENABLED)).isFalse();
         // Confirm that file writes have been triggered.
         verify(mAtomicFile).startWrite();
         verify(mAtomicFile).finishWrite(any());
     }
 
-    @Test
-    public void initialize_readsFromFile() throws Exception {
-        byte[] data = createXmlForParsing(THREAD_ENABLED.key, false);
-        setupAtomicFileMockForRead(data);
-
-        // Trigger file read.
-        mThreadPersistentSetting.initialize();
-
-        assertThat(mThreadPersistentSetting.get(THREAD_ENABLED)).isFalse();
-        verify(mAtomicFile, never()).startWrite();
-    }
-
     private byte[] createXmlForParsing(String key, Boolean value) throws Exception {
         PersistableBundle bundle = new PersistableBundle();
         ByteArrayOutputStream outputStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();