diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 090b8e0..56c5c2e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -45,19 +45,29 @@ Incognia.configure(
 )
 ```
 
-To reuse HTTP connections between requests, enable `keep_alive`. When enabled,
-`max_connections` sets the maximum number of concurrent persistent
-connections used by the client.
+HTTP connection reuse is enabled by default. When connection reuse is enabled,
+`max_connections` sets the maximum number of concurrent persistent connections
+used by the client.
 
 ```ruby
 Incognia.configure(
   client_id: ENV['INCOGNIA_CLIENT_ID'],
   client_secret: ENV['INCOGNIA_CLIENT_SECRET'],
-  keep_alive: true,
   max_connections: 5
 )
 ```
 
+To disable persistent connections, set `keep_alive: false`. `max_connections`
+can only be configured when `keep_alive` is enabled.
+
+```ruby
+Incognia.configure(
+  client_id: ENV['INCOGNIA_CLIENT_ID'],
+  client_secret: ENV['INCOGNIA_CLIENT_SECRET'],
+  keep_alive: false
+)
+```
+
 For sandbox credentials, refer to the [API testing guide](https://developer.incognia.com/).
 
 :bulb: For Rails applications it's recommended to create an initializer file, for example `config/initializers/incognia.rb`.
diff --git a/lib/incognia_api.rb b/lib/incognia_api.rb
index d188642..b51ff17 100644
--- a/lib/incognia_api.rb
+++ b/lib/incognia_api.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ class APIError < StandardError
     attr_reader :message, :errors, :status
 
     def initialize(message, response_info = {})
+      response_info ||= {}
+
       @status = response_info[:status]
       @errors = response_info[:body]
       @message = format_message(message)
diff --git a/lib/incognia_api/configuration.rb b/lib/incognia_api/configuration.rb
index fccece2..7fff6cf 100644
--- a/lib/incognia_api/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/incognia_api/configuration.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class Configuration
 
     attr_accessor :client_id, :client_secret, :host, :keep_alive, :max_connections
 
-    def configure(client_id:, client_secret:, host: nil, keep_alive: false, max_connections: nil)
+    def configure(client_id:, client_secret:, host: nil, keep_alive: true, max_connections: nil)
       validate_connection_settings!(keep_alive: keep_alive, max_connections: max_connections)
 
       @client_id = client_id
diff --git a/spec/client_spec.rb b/spec/client_spec.rb
index 24e1268..ac796d4 100644
--- a/spec/client_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/client_spec.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ module Incognia
       Incognia.configure(
         client_id: 'client_id',
         client_secret: 'client_secret',
-        host: 'https://api.incognia.com/api'
+        host: 'https://api.incognia.com/api',
+        keep_alive: false
       )
     end
 
@@ -258,6 +259,37 @@ module Incognia
       before { Singleton.__init__(described_class) }
       after { instance.reset! }
 
+      it "uses the persistent adapter by default" do
+        Incognia.configure(
+          client_id: 'client_id',
+          client_secret: 'client_secret',
+          host: 'https://api.incognia.com/api'
+        )
+
+        allow_any_instance_of(Faraday::RackBuilder).to receive(:adapter).and_call_original
+        expect_any_instance_of(Faraday::RackBuilder).to receive(:adapter)
+          .with(:net_http_persistent)
+          .and_call_original
+
+        instance.connection
+      end
+
+      it "uses the default adapter when keep_alive is false" do
+        Incognia.configure(
+          client_id: 'client_id',
+          client_secret: 'client_secret',
+          host: 'https://api.incognia.com/api',
+          keep_alive: false
+        )
+
+        allow_any_instance_of(Faraday::RackBuilder).to receive(:adapter).and_call_original
+        expect_any_instance_of(Faraday::RackBuilder).to receive(:adapter)
+          .with(Faraday.default_adapter)
+          .and_call_original
+
+        instance.connection
+      end
+
       it "uses the persistent adapter with the configured max_connections" do
         Incognia.configure(
           client_id: 'client_id',
diff --git a/spec/incognia_spec.rb b/spec/incognia_spec.rb
index a8cfe1c..2fb15a0 100644
--- a/spec/incognia_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/incognia_spec.rb
@@ -15,13 +15,15 @@ module Incognia
       expect(Configuration.instance.client_id).to eq(config[:client_id])
       expect(Configuration.instance.client_secret).to eq(config[:client_secret])
       expect(Configuration.instance.host).to eq(config[:host])
+      expect(Configuration.instance.keep_alive).to eq(true)
     end
 
-    it 'raises when max_connections is set without keep_alive' do
+    it 'raises when max_connections is set with keep_alive disabled' do
       expect {
         Incognia.configure(
           client_id: SecureRandom.uuid,
           client_secret: SecureRandom.uuid,
+          keep_alive: false,
           max_connections: 5
         )
       }.to raise_error(ArgumentError, 'max_connections requires keep_alive: true')
@@ -61,7 +63,8 @@ module Incognia
       Incognia.configure(
         client_id: 'client_id',
         client_secret: 'client_secret',
-        host: 'https://api.incognia.com/api'
+        host: 'https://api.incognia.com/api',
+        keep_alive: false
       )
     end