diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 7e39fe4ff..794f53b2a 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ using this cargo binary (not the musl `target/release/` install).
 ### What works on each OS
 
 Linux is the **supported operator IO** target (`io_uring` when the ring opens).
-Darwin defaults to the **pool** session; Windows to **IOCP** (no IoRing). Matrix:
+Darwin defaults to libc **pread** (`RBITCOIN_IO=pool` opts into the pool session); Windows to **IOCP** (no IoRing). Matrix:
 [`docs/io-modality.md`](./docs/io-modality.md). PR CI still smokes native store
 IO on Windows and Darwin.
 
diff --git a/changelog.d/darwin-pread-default.md b/changelog.d/darwin-pread-default.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8df0e119e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/darwin-pread-default.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+Changed
+
+- **macOS reads with libc pread by default.**
+  The worker-pool session handed every read to a pool thread through one
+  shared lock. In signet IBD that cost more than the reads: about 20% slower
+  end to end with a warm or cold cache, and four times the system CPU.
+  `RBITCOIN_IO=pool` still opens the pool session. Linux and Windows are
+  unchanged.
diff --git a/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/bulk_io.rs b/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/bulk_io.rs
index 280d23e2f..99e01259d 100644
--- a/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/bulk_io.rs
+++ b/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/bulk_io.rs
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@
 //!
 //! # Non-Linux
 //!
-//! Darwin default is the **pool** completion session (kqueue is not a
-//! regular-file backend). Windows uses IOCP.
+//! Darwin default is libc **pread** (kqueue is not a regular-file backend,
+//! and the pool session's per-read handoff cost more than the reads in IBD);
+//! `RBITCOIN_IO=pool` opens the pool session there. Windows uses IOCP.
 //! Machines stay staged; they do not flatten to one-shot `pread`. See
 //! `docs/io-modality.md` and `docs/concurrency.md`.
 
@@ -66,11 +67,7 @@ pub fn io_uring_enabled() -> bool {
         1 => true,
         2 => false,
         _ => {
-            let want = match parse_io_token() {
-                Some(IoToken::Pread) => false,
-                Some(_) | None => true,
-            };
-            if !want {
+            if !session_wanted(parse_io_token()) {
                 URING_MODE.store(2, Ordering::Relaxed);
                 return false;
             }
@@ -87,6 +84,16 @@ pub fn io_uring_enabled() -> bool {
     }
 }
 
+fn session_wanted(token: Option<IoToken>) -> bool {
+    match token {
+        Some(IoToken::Pread) => false,
+        Some(_) => true,
+        // Darwin's only session is the worker pool. Its per-read handoff cost
+        // more than the read in signet IBD (about 20% slower, warm or cold).
+        None => !cfg!(target_os = "macos"),
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub(crate) enum IoToken {
     Uring,
@@ -129,15 +136,11 @@ fn default_session_kind() -> crate::uring_session::SessionKind {
     {
         SessionKind::Uring
     }
-    #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
-    {
-        SessionKind::Pool
-    }
     #[cfg(windows)]
     {
         SessionKind::Iocp
     }
-    #[cfg(not(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "macos", windows)))]
+    #[cfg(not(any(target_os = "linux", windows)))]
     {
         SessionKind::Pool
     }
@@ -600,6 +603,19 @@ fn pwrite_one(op: &mut WriteOp<'_>) {
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn unset_io_env_opens_a_session_except_on_darwin() {
+        #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+        assert!(!session_wanted(None), "Darwin defaults to libc pread");
+        #[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
+        assert!(session_wanted(None));
+        assert!(
+            session_wanted(Some(IoToken::Pool)),
+            "RBITCOIN_IO=pool still opens the pool session"
+        );
+        assert!(!session_wanted(Some(IoToken::Pread)));
+    }
     use std::io::Write;
 
     fn dummy_handle() -> IoHandle {
diff --git a/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/io_session_pool.rs b/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/io_session_pool.rs
index c67b14db0..97eea9b3b 100644
--- a/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/io_session_pool.rs
+++ b/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/io_session_pool.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 //! Completion-ring facade over a bounded worker pool.
 //!
 //! Same harvest contract as io_uring (`user_data`, drain, in-flight cap).
-//! Darwin's file AIO is a thread pool; this is the honest session there and
-//! the Linux CI pin (`RBITCOIN_IO=pool`).
+//! Darwin's file AIO is a thread pool; this is the honest session there when
+//! `RBITCOIN_IO=pool` asks for it (Darwin defaults to libc pread), and the
+//! Linux CI pin.
 //!
 //! Workers are **process-shared**. Each [`PoolEngine`] is a session handle
 //! with its own CQE queue so harvest does not steal another thread's
diff --git a/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/uring_session.rs b/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/uring_session.rs
index 29de1e37c..7c761bc70 100644
--- a/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/uring_session.rs
+++ b/crates/rbitcoin-store/src/uring_session.rs
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ fn finish_drain_hard_cap(pending: usize) -> Result<(), StoreError> {
 pub enum SessionKind {
     /// Linux io_uring. On Windows this opens IOCP.
     Uring,
-    /// Worker-pool completion ring (Darwin default; Linux `RBITCOIN_IO=pool`).
+    /// Worker-pool completion ring (`RBITCOIN_IO=pool` on Darwin or Linux).
     Pool,
     /// Windows IOCP.
     Iocp,
@@ -1835,14 +1835,13 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
+    #[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", windows))]
     fn default_kind_follows_os_when_env_unset() {
         if std::env::var_os("RBITCOIN_IO").is_some() {
             return;
         }
         #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
         assert_eq!(crate::bulk_io::resolved_session_kind(), SessionKind::Uring);
-        #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
-        assert_eq!(crate::bulk_io::resolved_session_kind(), SessionKind::Pool);
         #[cfg(windows)]
         assert_eq!(crate::bulk_io::resolved_session_kind(), SessionKind::Iocp);
     }
diff --git a/docs/io-modality.md b/docs/io-modality.md
index b42cc60d3..95b85474a 100644
--- a/docs/io-modality.md
+++ b/docs/io-modality.md
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ Unknown tokens (including deleted `mmap`) fall through to the platform default.
 | Token | Backend |
 |-------|---------|
 | `uring` / `io_uring` | Linux `io_uring`. On Windows the token opens **IOCP** |
-| `pool` | Worker-pool completion ring (Darwin **default**; Linux CI pin) |
+| `pool` | Worker-pool completion ring (opt-in on Darwin; Linux CI pin) |
 | `iocp` | Windows IOCP (Windows **default**) |
 | `pread` / `fd` / `libc` / `pwrite` | Disable session; libc positional IO (+ workers for reads) |
 
-**Defaults:** Linux `io_uring` if the ring opens, else libc **pread** (session off). Darwin **pool**.
+**Defaults:** Linux `io_uring` if the ring opens, else libc **pread** (session off). Darwin libc **pread** (session off).
 Windows **IOCP**. Windows IoRing is not supported.
 
 **Windows table handles** are `FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED` so IOCP can bind.
@@ -56,8 +56,11 @@ heap OVERLAPPEDs).
 **kqueue is not a regular-file backend.** Darwin files report ready immediately;
 `read` still blocks. POSIX AIO (`EVFILT_AIO`) and `dispatch_io` are also
 thread pools (`kern.aiomax` default 16) — same class as `pool`, not an
-SQ/CQ. The pool session is the honest Darwin completion ring. Pool
-**workers** are process-shared; each TLS session keeps its own CQE queue.
+SQ/CQ. The pool session is the honest Darwin completion ring, but each read
+costs a shared-queue lock and two thread wakeups. In signet IBD that cost more
+than the reads, warm or cold cache (about 20% slower end to end, four times the
+system CPU), so Darwin defaults to libc pread and `RBITCOIN_IO=pool` opts in.
+Pool **workers** are process-shared; each TLS session keeps its own CQE queue.
 
 **TLS session:** one completion session per OS thread (`with_thread_local`).
 Nested calls panic. Harvest tracks pending `(kind, epoch, slot)`. A CQE that
@@ -149,7 +152,7 @@ RAM fence (~15 MiB at 1M blocks), not a file.
 | Block index build (filters + tweaks) | `RBITCOIN_IO` | `read_index_window`: one held TLS session per window, four stages (`create.loc` / `input.loc` / `seqsigwit.loc` windows → block `txout` / `input.body` / `txid.body` spans → parent `create.loc` + P2TR-output `seqsigwit.body` + parent `txid.body` → parent `txout`), offsets from RAM checkpoints so nothing nests. Parents read once per window. Short/errno on a live session libc-completes; no session → serial pread through the same stages. Writes are not on the ring: one filter put and one tweak put per window. |
 | SP-tweak hole serve | `RBITCOIN_IO` | `tweaks_for_height` for heights the index has not sealed: idx ranges **before** TLS ring; uring/pread `txout.body`, then `seqsigwit` + parent `txout` for P2TR only. |
 
-Default: Linux uring if the ring opens else libc pread; Darwin pool; Windows
+Default: Linux uring if the ring opens else libc pread; Darwin pread; Windows
 IOCP. Ring depth **128** (merge may grow). `RBITCOIN_IO=pread` forces libc.
 
 ### Table transport (all fd)
diff --git a/scripts/ci-os-smoke.sh b/scripts/ci-os-smoke.sh
index 75fd04ee8..d4a2b2880 100755
--- a/scripts/ci-os-smoke.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci-os-smoke.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ STORE_PLATFORM_FILTERS=(
   sorted_run::tests::host_mem
   sorted_run::tests::darwin_vm
   io_backend::tests
-  uring_session::tests::default_kind_follows_os
+  bulk_io::tests::unset_io_env_opens_a_session
   uring_session::tests::pool_
   fuse8_filter::tests::no_false_negatives_and_roundtrip
   segmented_head::tests::insert_roll_seal_lookup_roundtrip
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ case "${CI_OS_SMOKE_UNAME:-$(uname -s)}" in
     STORE_PLATFORM_SKIPS+=(concurrent_readers_during_append_and_grow)
     # `mod io_session_iocp` is #[cfg(windows)] — the tests do not exist elsewhere.
     STORE_PLATFORM_FILTERS+=(io_session_iocp)
+    # Linux and Windows only: Darwin opens no session by default.
+    STORE_PLATFORM_FILTERS+=(uring_session::tests::default_kind_follows_os)
     PRIMITIVES_PLATFORM_FILTERS+=(loc_simd::tests)
     ;;
   Darwin*)
diff --git a/scripts/ci-os-smoke.test.sh b/scripts/ci-os-smoke.test.sh
index 8298fceb7..a0f15b87f 100755
--- a/scripts/ci-os-smoke.test.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci-os-smoke.test.sh
@@ -36,8 +36,10 @@ assert_ok "dry-run lists SH RAM / host_mem probes" \
   grep -q "sorted_run::tests::host_mem" <<<"$out"
 assert_ok "dry-run lists Darwin vm page math" \
   grep -q "sorted_run::tests::darwin_vm" <<<"$out"
-assert_ok "dry-run lists default session kind" \
-  grep -q "uring_session::tests::default_kind_follows_os" <<<"$out"
+assert_ok "dry-run lists the default IO session per OS" \
+  grep -q "bulk_io::tests::unset_io_env_opens_a_session" <<<"$out"
+assert_ok "only Windows lists the default session kind test" \
+  test "$(grep -c 'uring_session::tests::default_kind_follows_os' <<<"$out" || true)" = "0"
 assert_ok "dry-run lists pool session tests" \
   grep -q "uring_session::tests::pool_" <<<"$out"
 
@@ -54,6 +56,8 @@ assert_ok "Windows dry-run still confirms a few blocks" \
   grep -q "chain_view_pin_asof_reorg" <<<"$out"
 assert_ok "Windows dry-run lists IOCP session tests" \
   grep -q "io_session_iocp" <<<"$out"
+assert_ok "Windows dry-run pins the IOCP default session kind" \
+  grep -q "uring_session::tests::default_kind_follows_os" <<<"$out"
 assert_ok "Windows dry-run pins loc SIMD (SSE2) vs scalar" \
   grep -qx "primitives=loc_simd::tests" <<<"$out"