diff --git a/lib/pangea/constants/model_keys.dart b/lib/pangea/constants/model_keys.dart
index dca53288d..502435479 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/constants/model_keys.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/constants/model_keys.dart
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ class ModelKey {
   static const String languageLevel = "difficulty";
   static const String safetyModeration = "safety_moderation";
   static const String mode = "mode";
-  static const String custom = "custom";
   static const String discussionTopic = "discussion_topic";
   static const String discussionKeywords = "discussion_keywords";
   static const String discussionTriggerReactionEnabled =
diff --git a/lib/pangea/models/bot_options_model.dart b/lib/pangea/models/bot_options_model.dart
index 0e1019e62..179461a34 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/models/bot_options_model.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/models/bot_options_model.dart
@@ -13,14 +13,13 @@ class BotOptionsModel {
   List<String> keywords;
   bool safetyModeration;
   String mode;
-  String? custom;
   String? discussionTopic;
   String? discussionKeywords;
-  bool discussionTriggerReactionEnabled;
-  String discussionTriggerReactionKey;
+  bool? discussionTriggerReactionEnabled;
+  String? discussionTriggerReactionKey;
   String? customSystemPrompt;
-  bool customTriggerReactionEnabled;
-  String customTriggerReactionKey;
+  bool? customTriggerReactionEnabled;
+  String? customTriggerReactionKey;
 
   BotOptionsModel({
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -63,15 +62,17 @@ class BotOptionsModel {
       discussionTopic: json[ModelKey.discussionTopic],
       discussionKeywords: json[ModelKey.discussionKeywords],
       discussionTriggerReactionEnabled:
-          json[ModelKey.discussionTriggerReactionEnabled],
-      discussionTriggerReactionKey: json[ModelKey.discussionTriggerReactionKey],
+          json[ModelKey.discussionTriggerReactionEnabled] ?? true,
+      discussionTriggerReactionKey:
+          json[ModelKey.discussionTriggerReactionKey] ?? "⏩",
 
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       // Custom Mode Options
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       customSystemPrompt: json[ModelKey.customSystemPrompt],
-      customTriggerReactionEnabled: json[ModelKey.customTriggerReactionEnabled],
-      customTriggerReactionKey: json[ModelKey.customTriggerReactionKey],
+      customTriggerReactionEnabled:
+          json[ModelKey.customTriggerReactionEnabled] ?? true,
+      customTriggerReactionKey: json[ModelKey.customTriggerReactionKey] ?? "⏩",
     );
   }
 
@@ -82,17 +83,16 @@ class BotOptionsModel {
       data[ModelKey.languageLevel] = languageLevel;
       data[ModelKey.safetyModeration] = safetyModeration;
       data[ModelKey.mode] = mode;
-      data[ModelKey.custom] = custom;
       data[ModelKey.discussionTopic] = discussionTopic;
       data[ModelKey.discussionKeywords] = discussionKeywords;
       data[ModelKey.discussionTriggerReactionEnabled] =
-          discussionTriggerReactionEnabled;
+          discussionTriggerReactionEnabled ?? true;
       data[ModelKey.discussionTriggerReactionKey] =
-          discussionTriggerReactionKey;
+          discussionTriggerReactionKey ?? "⏩";
       data[ModelKey.customSystemPrompt] = customSystemPrompt;
       data[ModelKey.customTriggerReactionEnabled] =
-          customTriggerReactionEnabled;
-      data[ModelKey.customTriggerReactionKey] = customTriggerReactionKey;
+          customTriggerReactionEnabled ?? true;
+      data[ModelKey.customTriggerReactionKey] = customTriggerReactionKey ?? "⏩";
       return data;
     } catch (e, s) {
       debugger(when: kDebugMode);
@@ -113,9 +113,6 @@ class BotOptionsModel {
       case ModelKey.mode:
         mode = value;
         break;
-      case ModelKey.custom:
-        custom = value;
-        break;
       case ModelKey.discussionTopic:
         discussionTopic = value;
         break;
diff --git a/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_custom_zone.dart b/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_custom_zone.dart
index 46f87237c..553de7182 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_custom_zone.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_custom_zone.dart
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class ConversationBotCustomZone extends StatelessWidget {
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    print(initialBotOptions.toJson());
     return Column(
       children: [
         const SizedBox(height: 12),
@@ -59,9 +60,9 @@ class ConversationBotCustomZone extends StatelessWidget {
                 .conversationBotCustomZone_customTriggerReactionEnabledLabel,
           ),
           enabled: false,
-          value: initialBotOptions.customTriggerReactionEnabled,
+          value: initialBotOptions.customTriggerReactionEnabled ?? true,
           onChanged: (value) {
-            initialBotOptions.customTriggerReactionEnabled = value ?? false;
+            initialBotOptions.customTriggerReactionEnabled = value ?? true;
             initialBotOptions.customTriggerReactionKey =
                 "⏩"; // hard code this for now
             onChanged.call(initialBotOptions);
diff --git a/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_discussion_zone.dart b/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_discussion_zone.dart
index ed642a391..2bb4d7a76 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_discussion_zone.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_discussion_zone.dart
@@ -82,9 +82,9 @@ class ConversationBotDiscussionZone extends StatelessWidget {
                 .conversationBotDiscussionZone_discussionTriggerReactionEnabledLabel,
           ),
           enabled: false,
-          value: initialBotOptions.discussionTriggerReactionEnabled ?? false,
+          value: initialBotOptions.discussionTriggerReactionEnabled ?? true,
           onChanged: (value) {
-            initialBotOptions.discussionTriggerReactionEnabled = value ?? false;
+            initialBotOptions.discussionTriggerReactionEnabled = value ?? true;
             initialBotOptions.discussionTriggerReactionKey =
                 "⏩"; // hard code this for now
             onChanged.call(initialBotOptions);
diff --git a/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_settings.dart b/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_settings.dart
index 6b57ca3a4..226b728d7 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_settings.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/widgets/conversation_bot/conversation_bot_settings.dart
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ class ConversationBotSettingsState extends State<ConversationBotSettings> {
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
     isOpen = widget.startOpen;
-    botOptions = widget.room?.botOptions ?? BotOptionsModel();
+    botOptions = widget.room?.botOptions != null
+        ? BotOptionsModel.fromJson(widget.room?.botOptions?.toJson())
+        : BotOptionsModel();
     widget.room?.isBotRoom.then((bool isBotRoom) {
       setState(() {
         addBot = isBotRoom;