diff --git a/src/modules/stage/stage.cpp b/src/modules/stage/stage.cpp
index 350e8a3..3fc106e 100644
--- a/src/modules/stage/stage.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/stage/stage.cpp
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@ const int min_step_delay_eeprom = sizeof(long) * n_motors;
 long ramp_time;
 const int ramp_time_eeprom = sizeof(long) * (n_motors + 1);
 const int axis_max_eeprom = sizeof(long) * (n_motors + 2);
-const int blocking_moves_eeprom = sizeof(long) * (n_motors + 3);
+const int non_blocking_moves_eeprom = sizeof(long) * (n_motors + 3);
 Stepper *motors[n_motors];
 signed long current_pos[n_motors];
 long steps_remaining[n_motors];
 
 bool stage_moving = false;
 bool notify_on_stop = false;
-bool blocking_moves = false;
+bool non_blocking_moves = false;
 
 void stage_setup()
 {
@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ void stage_setup()
         ramp_time = 0;
         EEPROM.put(ramp_time_eeprom, ramp_time);
     }
-    EEPROM.get(blocking_moves_eeprom, blocking_moves);
-    // TODO: do we need to do something to initialise this?
+
+    //using non-blocking moves here to have blocking moves by default
+    EEPROM.get(non_blocking_moves_eeprom, non_blocking_moves);
 
     register_module(stage_commands, stage_loop);
 }
@@ -115,7 +116,8 @@ void start_move(long displ[n_motors])
     move_start_time = micros();
     final_scaled_t = (float)max_steps * min_step_delay; //NB total time taken will be final_scaled_t + 2*ramp_time
     stage_moving = true;
-    if (blocking_moves){
+    if (!non_blocking_moves)
+    {
         notify_on_stop = true;
     }
     else
@@ -277,12 +279,12 @@ void update_blocking_moves(String command)
     if (args[0][0] == '?')
     {
         Serial.print("blocking_moves ");
-        Serial.println(blocking_moves ? "true" : "false");
+        Serial.println(non_blocking_moves ? "false" : "true");
     }
     else
     {
-        blocking_moves = args[0][0] == 't';
-        EEPROM.put(blocking_moves_eeprom, blocking_moves);
+        non_blocking_moves = !(args[0][0] == 't');
+        EEPROM.put(non_blocking_moves_eeprom, non_blocking_moves);
         Serial.println("done.");
     }
 }