diff --git a/servicetalk-encoding-api/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/encoding/api/BufferDecoderGroup.java b/servicetalk-encoding-api/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/encoding/api/BufferDecoderGroup.java
index 97c25b8edb..c221fc7fa4 100644
--- a/servicetalk-encoding-api/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/encoding/api/BufferDecoderGroup.java
+++ b/servicetalk-encoding-api/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/encoding/api/BufferDecoderGroup.java
@@ -30,9 +30,11 @@ public interface BufferDecoderGroup {
 
     /**
      * Get the combined encoding to advertise. This is typically a combination of
-     * {@link BufferDecoder#encodingName()} contained in this group.
+     * {@link BufferDecoder#encodingName()} contained in this group. This value is commonly used in
+     * {@code Accept-Encoding} (or equivalent) metadata to advertise/communicate the supported algorithms.
      * @return the combined encoding to advertise. This is typically a combination of
-     * {@link BufferDecoder#encodingName()} contained in this group.
+     * {@link BufferDecoder#encodingName()} contained in this group. This value is commonly used in
+     * {@code Accept-Encoding} (or equivalent) metadata to advertise/communicate the supported algorithms.
      */
     @Nullable
     CharSequence advertisedMessageEncoding();
diff --git a/servicetalk-encoding-api/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/encoding/api/BufferDecoderGroupBuilder.java b/servicetalk-encoding-api/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/encoding/api/BufferDecoderGroupBuilder.java
index 2d099aad38..5a860e9b62 100644
--- a/servicetalk-encoding-api/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/encoding/api/BufferDecoderGroupBuilder.java
+++ b/servicetalk-encoding-api/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/encoding/api/BufferDecoderGroupBuilder.java
@@ -50,8 +50,25 @@ public BufferDecoderGroupBuilder(int decodersSizeEstimate) {
     /**
      * Add a new {@link BufferDecoder} to the {@link BufferDecoderGroup} built by this builder.
      * @param decoder The decoder to add.
-     * @param advertised {@code true} if the decoder should be included in
-     * {@link BufferDecoderGroup#advertisedMessageEncoding()}.
+     * @return {@code this}.
+     */
+    public BufferDecoderGroupBuilder add(BufferDecoder decoder) {
+        return add(decoder, true);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Add a new {@link BufferDecoder} to the {@link BufferDecoderGroup} built by this builder.
+     * @param decoder The decoder to add.
+     * @param advertised
+     * <ul>
+     *     <li>{@code true} - the decoder should be included in
+     *     {@link BufferDecoderGroup#advertisedMessageEncoding()}</li>
+     *     <li>{@code false} -the decoder is excluded from
+     *     {@link BufferDecoderGroup#advertisedMessageEncoding()} and therefore won't be included in
+     *     {@code Accept-Encoding} (or equivalent) metadata headers. In this case the peer won't be explicitly be told
+     *     this decoder is supported. Commonly used to discourage usage of {@code identity} decoders in favor of other
+     *     more preferred options, but still support it as a fallback if there are no common decoders.</li>
+     * </ul>
      * @return {@code this}.
      */
     public BufferDecoderGroupBuilder add(BufferDecoder decoder, boolean advertised) {
diff --git a/servicetalk-examples/grpc/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/grpc/compression/CompressionExampleClient.java b/servicetalk-examples/grpc/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/grpc/compression/CompressionExampleClient.java
index 7e9328daf7..7a9cdbd4a4 100644
--- a/servicetalk-examples/grpc/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/grpc/compression/CompressionExampleClient.java
+++ b/servicetalk-examples/grpc/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/grpc/compression/CompressionExampleClient.java
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ public static void main(String... args) throws Exception {
                         // For the purposes of this example we disable GZip compression and use the
                         // server's second choice (deflate) to demonstrate that negotiation of compression algorithm is
                         // handled correctly.
-                        // .add(NettyBufferEncoders.gzipDefault(), true)
-                        .add(deflateDefault(), true)
+                        // .add(NettyBufferEncoders.gzipDefault())
+                        .add(deflateDefault())
                         .add(identityEncoder(), false).build()))) {
             // This request is sent with the request being uncompressed. The response may
             // be compressed because the ClientFactory will include the encodings we
diff --git a/servicetalk-examples/grpc/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/grpc/compression/CompressionExampleServer.java b/servicetalk-examples/grpc/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/grpc/compression/CompressionExampleServer.java
index ac0bde9d61..d016f79af8 100644
--- a/servicetalk-examples/grpc/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/grpc/compression/CompressionExampleServer.java
+++ b/servicetalk-examples/grpc/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/grpc/compression/CompressionExampleServer.java
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ public static void main(String... args) throws Exception {
         GrpcServers.forPort(8080)
                 .listenAndAwait(new Greeter.ServiceFactory.Builder()
                         .bufferDecoderGroup(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder()
-                                .add(gzipDefault(), true)
-                                .add(deflateDefault(), true)
+                                .add(gzipDefault())
+                                .add(deflateDefault())
                                 .add(identityEncoder(), false).build())
                         .bufferEncoders(asList(gzipDefault(), deflateDefault(), identityEncoder()))
                         .addService((GreeterService) (ctx, request) ->
diff --git a/servicetalk-examples/http/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/http/compression/CompressionFilterExampleClient.java b/servicetalk-examples/http/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/http/compression/CompressionFilterExampleClient.java
index 91585e4a5f..ef79c9e46b 100644
--- a/servicetalk-examples/http/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/http/compression/CompressionFilterExampleClient.java
+++ b/servicetalk-examples/http/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/http/compression/CompressionFilterExampleClient.java
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ public static void main(String... args) throws Exception {
                         // For the purposes of this example we disable GZip compression and use the
                         // server's second choice (deflate) to demonstrate that negotiation of compression algorithm is
                         // handled correctly.
-                        // .add(NettyBufferEncoders.gzipDefault(), true)
-                        .add(deflateDefault(), true)
+                        // .add(NettyBufferEncoders.gzipDefault())
+                        .add(deflateDefault())
                         .add(identityEncoder(), false).build()))
                 .build()) {
             // Make a request with an uncompressed payload.
diff --git a/servicetalk-examples/http/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/http/compression/CompressionFilterExampleServer.java b/servicetalk-examples/http/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/http/compression/CompressionFilterExampleServer.java
index fd51c5495c..6592c8a431 100644
--- a/servicetalk-examples/http/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/http/compression/CompressionFilterExampleServer.java
+++ b/servicetalk-examples/http/compression/src/main/java/io/servicetalk/examples/http/compression/CompressionFilterExampleServer.java
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ public static void main(String... args) throws Exception {
                 .appendServiceFilter(new ContentEncodingHttpServiceFilter(
                         asList(gzipDefault(), deflateDefault(), identityEncoder()),
                         new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder()
-                                .add(gzipDefault(), true)
-                                .add(deflateDefault(), true)
+                                .add(gzipDefault())
+                                .add(deflateDefault())
                                 .add(identityEncoder(), false).build()))
                 .listenAndAwait((ctx, request, responseFactory) -> {
                         String who = request.payloadBody(textSerializerUtf8());
diff --git a/servicetalk-grpc-netty/src/test/java/io/servicetalk/grpc/netty/ProtocolCompatibilityTest.java b/servicetalk-grpc-netty/src/test/java/io/servicetalk/grpc/netty/ProtocolCompatibilityTest.java
index 804b25f45a..6d56636198 100644
--- a/servicetalk-grpc-netty/src/test/java/io/servicetalk/grpc/netty/ProtocolCompatibilityTest.java
+++ b/servicetalk-grpc-netty/src/test/java/io/servicetalk/grpc/netty/ProtocolCompatibilityTest.java
@@ -1196,7 +1196,7 @@ private static BufferDecoderGroup serviceTalkDecompression(@Nullable final Strin
         }
         BufferDecoderGroupBuilder builder = new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder(2);
         if (compression.contentEquals(NettyBufferEncoders.gzipDefault().encodingName())) {
-            builder.add(NettyBufferEncoders.gzipDefault(), true);
+            builder.add(NettyBufferEncoders.gzipDefault());
         } else if (compression.contentEquals(Identity.identityEncoder().encodingName())) {
             builder.add(Identity.identityEncoder(), false);
         }
diff --git a/servicetalk-http-netty/src/test/java/io/servicetalk/http/netty/BaseContentEncodingTest.java b/servicetalk-http-netty/src/test/java/io/servicetalk/http/netty/BaseContentEncodingTest.java
index 03fb3a090b..a0006bfc64 100644
--- a/servicetalk-http-netty/src/test/java/io/servicetalk/http/netty/BaseContentEncodingTest.java
+++ b/servicetalk-http-netty/src/test/java/io/servicetalk/http/netty/BaseContentEncodingTest.java
@@ -121,17 +121,17 @@ static String payloadAsString(byte b) {
 
     protected enum Decoders {
         DEFAULT(EmptyBufferDecoderGroup.INSTANCE),
-        GZIP_ONLY(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(gzipDefault(), true).build()),
-        GZIP_ID(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(gzipDefault(), true).add(identityEncoder(), false).build()),
-        GZIP_DEFLATE_ID(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(gzipDefault(), true).add(deflateDefault(), true)
+        GZIP_ONLY(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(gzipDefault()).build()),
+        GZIP_ID(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(gzipDefault()).add(identityEncoder(), false).build()),
+        GZIP_DEFLATE_ID(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(gzipDefault()).add(deflateDefault())
                 .add(identityEncoder(), false).build()),
-        ID_ONLY(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(identityEncoder(), true).build()),
-        ID_GZIP(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(identityEncoder(), false).add(gzipDefault(), true).build()),
-        ID_DEFLATE(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(identityEncoder(), false).add(deflateDefault(), true).build()),
-        ID_DEFLATE_GZIP(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(identityEncoder(), false).add(deflateDefault(), true)
-                .add(gzipDefault(), true).build()),
-        DEFLATE_ONLY(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(deflateDefault(), true).build()),
-        DEFLATE_ID(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(deflateDefault(), true).add(identityEncoder(), false).build());
+        ID_ONLY(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(identityEncoder()).build()),
+        ID_GZIP(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(identityEncoder(), false).add(gzipDefault()).build()),
+        ID_DEFLATE(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(identityEncoder(), false).add(deflateDefault()).build()),
+        ID_DEFLATE_GZIP(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(identityEncoder(), false).add(deflateDefault())
+                .add(gzipDefault()).build()),
+        DEFLATE_ONLY(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(deflateDefault()).build()),
+        DEFLATE_ID(new BufferDecoderGroupBuilder().add(deflateDefault()).add(identityEncoder(), false).build());
 
         final BufferDecoderGroup group;