diff --git a/src/routers/messages.py b/src/routers/messages.py
index 54506d92..f8dd8df1 100644
--- a/src/routers/messages.py
+++ b/src/routers/messages.py
@@ -185,7 +185,11 @@ async def enqueue(payload: list[dict]):
                 )
 
                 observe_me = (
-                    sender_session_peer_config.observe_me
+                    (
+                        sender_session_peer_config.observe_me
+                        if sender_session_peer_config.observe_me is not None
+                        else sender_peer_config.observe_me
+                    )
                     if sender_session_peer_config
                     else sender_peer_config.observe_me
                 )
diff --git a/src/schemas.py b/src/schemas.py
index e5825e75..4e453e55 100644
--- a/src/schemas.py
+++ b/src/schemas.py
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ class SessionPeerConfig(BaseModel):
         default=False,
         description="Whether this peer should form a session-level theory-of-mind representation of other peers in the session",
     )
-    observe_me: bool = Field(
-        default=True,
+    observe_me: bool | None = Field(
+        default=None,
         description="Whether other peers in this session should try to form a session-level theory-of-mind representation of this peer",
     )