diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/object/cosi/controller.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/object/cosi/controller.go
index 6876ea711..c9ba73db8 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/object/cosi/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/object/cosi/controller.go
@@ -125,10 +125,14 @@ func (r *ReconcileCephCOSIDriver) reconcile(request reconcile.Request) (reconcil
 		return reconcile.Result{}, *cephCOSIDriver, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to get Ceph COSI Driver %s", request.NamespacedName)
 	}
 
-	cosiDeploymentStrategy := cephv1.COSIDeploymentStrategyAuto
+	// While in experimental mode, the COSI driver is not enabled by default
+	cosiDeploymentStrategy := cephv1.COSIDeploymentStrategyNever
+
+	// Get the setting from the CephCOSIDriver CR if exists
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(cephCOSIDriver.Spec, cephv1.CephCOSIDriverSpec{}) && cephCOSIDriver.Spec.DeploymentStrategy != "" {
 		cosiDeploymentStrategy = cephCOSIDriver.Spec.DeploymentStrategy
 	}
+
 	if cosiDeploymentStrategy == cephv1.COSIDeploymentStrategyNever {
 		logger.Info("Ceph COSI Driver is disabled, delete if exists")
 		cephCOSIDriverDeployment := &appsv1.Deployment{}