diff --git a/app/docs/user.md b/app/docs/user.md
index 032baea..83c929b 100644
--- a/app/docs/user.md
+++ b/app/docs/user.md
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ If `strict_syntax` is set to true then the answer and response must have `*` or
 
 If `strict_syntax` is set to false, then `*` can be omitted and `^` used instead of `**`. In this case it is also recommended to list any multicharacter symbols expected to appear in the response as input symbols.
 
-By default `strict_syntax` is set to true.
+By default `strict_syntax` is set to false.
 
 #### `symbol_assumptions`
 
diff --git a/app/evaluation.py b/app/evaluation.py
index 891f9af..b391fcb 100644
--- a/app/evaluation.py
+++ b/app/evaluation.py
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ def evaluation_function(response, answer, params, include_test_data=False) -> di
         )
 
     # FIXME: Move this into expression_utilities
-    if params.get("strict_syntax", True):
+    if params.get("strict_syntax", False):
         if "^" in response:
             evaluation_result.add_feedback(("NOTATION_WARNING_EXPONENT", symbolic_comparison_internal_messages("NOTATION_WARNING_EXPONENT")(dict())))
         if "!" in response:
diff --git a/app/evaluation_test.py b/app/evaluation_test.py
index bd05396..bdae7b2 100755
--- a/app/evaluation_test.py
+++ b/app/evaluation_test.py
@@ -192,6 +192,26 @@ def test_e_latex(self, response, is_latex, is_correct):
 
 
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("params, is_correct", [
+        ({}, True),
+        ({"atol": 0.0, "rtol": 0.0, "strict_syntax": False, "physical_quantity": False, "elementary_functions": False}, True),
+        ({"atol": 0.0, "rtol": 0.0, "strict_syntax": False, "physical_quantity": False, "elementary_functions": True}, True),
+        ({"atol": 0.0, "rtol": 0.0, "strict_syntax": True,  "physical_quantity": False, "elementary_functions": False}, False),
+        ({"atol": 0.0, "rtol": 0.0, "strict_syntax": True,  "physical_quantity": False, "elementary_functions": True}, False),
+    ])
+    def test_strict_syntax_rejects_implicit_multiplication(self, params, is_correct):
+        response = "-2M0/3"
+        answer = "-2M0/3"
+        if is_correct:
+            result = evaluation_function(response, answer, params)
+            assert result["is_correct"] is True
+        else:
+            # strict_syntax=True prevents implicit multiplication, so -2M0/3 cannot be
+            # parsed. Answer parse failures are raised as exceptions (not returned as
+            # is_correct=False) because they indicate a task misconfiguration.
+            with pytest.raises(Exception):
+                evaluation_function(response, answer, params)
+
     def test_mu_preview_evaluate(self):
         response = "10 μA"
         params = Params(is_latex=False, elementary_functions=False, strict_syntax=False, physical_quantity=True)
diff --git a/app/tests/symbolic_evaluation_test.py b/app/tests/symbolic_evaluation_test.py
index 10c4bc1..ce7f943 100644
--- a/app/tests/symbolic_evaluation_test.py
+++ b/app/tests/symbolic_evaluation_test.py
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ def test_invalid_author_expression(self):
         answer = "3x"
         e = None
         with pytest.raises(Exception) as e:
-            evaluation_function(response, answer, {})
+            evaluation_function(response, answer, {"strict_syntax": True})
         assert e is not None
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
diff --git a/app/utility/expression_utilities.py b/app/utility/expression_utilities.py
index 008e9b5..876edb5 100644
--- a/app/utility/expression_utilities.py
+++ b/app/utility/expression_utilities.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     "complexNumbers": False,
     "convention": "equal_precedence",
     "elementary_functions": False,
-    "strict_syntax": True,
+    "strict_syntax": False,
     "multiple_answers_criteria": "all",
 }
 
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ def create_sympy_parsing_params(params, unsplittable_symbols=tuple(), symbol_ass
 
     symbol_dict.update(sympy_symbols(unsplittable_symbols))
 
-    strict_syntax = params.get("strict_syntax", True)
+    strict_syntax = params.get("strict_syntax", False)
 
     parsing_params = {
         "unsplittable_symbols": unsplittable_symbols,