diff --git a/MixpanelDemo/MixpanelDemoTests/MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests.swift b/MixpanelDemo/MixpanelDemoTests/MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests.swift
index ae6608cf..06b5e290 100644
--- a/MixpanelDemo/MixpanelDemoTests/MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests.swift
+++ b/MixpanelDemo/MixpanelDemoTests/MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests.swift
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
         removeDBfile(testMixpanel.apiToken)
     }
     
-    func testFlushAutomaticEventsIftrackAutomaticEventsEnabledIsNotSet() {
+    func testHoldAutomaticEventsIftrackAutomaticEventsEnabledIsNotSet() {
         let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60)
         testMixpanel.minimumSessionDuration = 0;
         testMixpanel.automaticEvents.perform(#selector(AutomaticEvents.appWillResignActive(_:)),
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ class MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
         XCTAssertTrue(eventQueue(token: testMixpanel.apiToken).count == 2, "automatic events should be tracked")
         
         flushAndWaitForTrackingQueue(testMixpanel)
-        XCTAssertTrue(eventQueue(token: testMixpanel.apiToken).count == 0, "automatic events should be flushed")
+        let appOpenEvent = eventQueue(token: testMixpanel.apiToken).last
+        XCTAssertEqual(appOpenEvent?["event"] as? String, "$ae_session", "automatic events should NOT be flushed")
         removeDBfile(testMixpanel.apiToken)
     }
 
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ class MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
     func testDiscardAutomaticEventsIfDecideIsFalse() {
         let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60)
         testMixpanel.minimumSessionDuration = 0;
-        MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(value: false, fromDecide: true, apiToken: testMixpanel.apiToken)
+        MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(value: false, fromDecide: true, apiToken: testMixpanel.apiToken)
         testMixpanel.automaticEvents.perform(#selector(AutomaticEvents.appWillResignActive(_:)),
                                               with: Notification(name: Notification.Name(rawValue: "test")))
         waitForTrackingQueue(testMixpanel)
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ class MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
     func testFlushAutomaticEventsIfDecideIsTrue() {
         let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60)
         testMixpanel.minimumSessionDuration = 0;
-        MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(value: true, fromDecide: true, apiToken: testMixpanel.apiToken)
+        MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(value: true, fromDecide: true, apiToken: testMixpanel.apiToken)
         testMixpanel.automaticEvents.perform(#selector(AutomaticEvents.appWillResignActive(_:)),
                                               with: Notification(name: Notification.Name(rawValue: "test")))
         waitForTrackingQueue(testMixpanel)
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ class MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
     func testDiscardAutomaticEventsIfDecideIsTrueSettingIsFalse() {
         let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60, trackAutomaticEvents: false)
         testMixpanel.minimumSessionDuration = 0;
-        MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(value: true, fromDecide: true, apiToken: testMixpanel.apiToken)
+        MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(value: true, fromDecide: true, apiToken: testMixpanel.apiToken)
         testMixpanel.automaticEvents.perform(#selector(AutomaticEvents.appWillResignActive(_:)),
                                               with: Notification(name: Notification.Name(rawValue: "test")))
         waitForTrackingQueue(testMixpanel)
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ class MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
     func testFlushAutomaticEventsIfDecideIsFalseSettingIsTrue() {
         let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60, trackAutomaticEvents: true)
         testMixpanel.minimumSessionDuration = 0;
-        MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(value: false, fromDecide: true, apiToken: testMixpanel.apiToken)
+        MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(value: false, fromDecide: true, apiToken: testMixpanel.apiToken)
         testMixpanel.automaticEvents.perform(#selector(AutomaticEvents.appWillResignActive(_:)),
                                               with: Notification(name: Notification.Name(rawValue: "test")))
         waitForTrackingQueue(testMixpanel)
@@ -144,13 +145,13 @@ class MixpanelAutomaticEventsTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
 
     func testFirstAppShouldOnlyBeTrackedOnce() {
         let testToken = randomId()
-        let mp = Mixpanel.initialize(token: testToken)
+        let mp = Mixpanel.initialize(token: testToken, trackAutomaticEvents: true)
         mp.minimumSessionDuration = 0;
         waitForTrackingQueue(mp)
         XCTAssertEqual(eventQueue(token: mp.apiToken).count, 1, "First app open should be tracked again")
         flushAndWaitForTrackingQueue(mp)
         
-        let mp2 = Mixpanel.initialize(token: testToken)
+        let mp2 = Mixpanel.initialize(token: testToken, trackAutomaticEvents: true)
         mp2.minimumSessionDuration = 0;
         waitForTrackingQueue(mp2)
         XCTAssertEqual(eventQueue(token: mp2.apiToken).count, 0, "First app open should not be tracked again")
diff --git a/MixpanelDemo/MixpanelDemoTests/MixpanelDemoTests.swift b/MixpanelDemo/MixpanelDemoTests/MixpanelDemoTests.swift
index c4a5fda4..e18e5bb6 100644
--- a/MixpanelDemo/MixpanelDemoTests/MixpanelDemoTests.swift
+++ b/MixpanelDemo/MixpanelDemoTests/MixpanelDemoTests.swift
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class MixpanelDemoTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
     }
     
     func testFlushEvents() {
-        let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60)
+        let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60, trackAutomaticEvents: true)
         testMixpanel.identify(distinctId: "d1")
         for i in 0..<50 {
             testMixpanel.track(event: "event \(i)")
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class MixpanelDemoTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
     }
     
     func testFlushQueueContainsCorruptedEvent() {
-        let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60)
+        let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60, trackAutomaticEvents: true)
         testMixpanel.trackingQueue.async {
             testMixpanel.mixpanelPersistence.saveEntity(["event": "bad event1", "properties": ["BadProp": Double.nan]], type: .events)
             testMixpanel.mixpanelPersistence.saveEntity(["event": "bad event2", "properties": ["BadProp": Float.nan]], type: .events)
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ class MixpanelDemoTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
     }
     
     func testAddingEventsAfterFlush() {
-        let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60)
+        let testMixpanel = Mixpanel.initialize(token: randomId(), flushInterval: 60, trackAutomaticEvents: true)
         for i in 0..<10 {
             testMixpanel.track(event: "event \(UInt(i))")
         }
@@ -1026,7 +1026,7 @@ class MixpanelDemoTests: MixpanelBaseTests {
         let setProperties2 = group[1]["$set"] as! InternalProperties
         XCTAssertEqual(setProperties2["a"] as? Int, 1)
         XCTAssertTrue(MixpanelPersistence.loadOptOutStatusFlag(apiToken: token)!)
-        XCTAssertTrue(MixpanelPersistence.loadAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(apiToken: token))
+        XCTAssertTrue(MixpanelPersistence.loadAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(apiToken: token))
         
         //timedEvents
         let testTimedEvents = MixpanelPersistence.loadTimedEvents(apiToken: token)
diff --git a/Sources/Decide.swift b/Sources/Decide.swift
index 39702af2..6c699086 100644
--- a/Sources/Decide.swift
+++ b/Sources/Decide.swift
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class Decide {
                 }
 
                 if let automaticEventsEnabled = result["automatic_events"] as? Bool {
-                    MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(value: automaticEventsEnabled, fromDecide: true, apiToken: token)
+                    MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(value: automaticEventsEnabled, fromDecide: true, apiToken: token)
                 }
 
                 self.decideFetched = true
diff --git a/Sources/MixpanelInstance.swift b/Sources/MixpanelInstance.swift
index cd0f7f8a..fe5ddd17 100644
--- a/Sources/MixpanelInstance.swift
+++ b/Sources/MixpanelInstance.swift
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ open class MixpanelInstance: CustomDebugStringConvertible, FlushDelegate, AEDele
     /// If this is not set, it will query the Autotrack settings from the Mixpanel server
     open var trackAutomaticEventsEnabled: Bool? {
         didSet {
-            MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(value: trackAutomaticEventsEnabled ?? false,
+            MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(value: trackAutomaticEventsEnabled ?? false,
                                                                 fromDecide: false,
                                                                 apiToken: apiToken)
         }
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ open class MixpanelInstance: CustomDebugStringConvertible, FlushDelegate, AEDele
         }
         
         if let trackAutomaticEvents = trackAutomaticEvents {
-            MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(value: trackAutomaticEvents,
+            MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(value: trackAutomaticEvents,
                                                                 fromDecide: false,
                                                                 apiToken: self.apiToken)
         }
@@ -851,8 +851,11 @@ extension MixpanelInstance {
                 return
             }
             
-            
-            let eventQueue = self.mixpanelPersistence.loadEntitiesInBatch(type: self.persistenceTypeFromFlushType(.events))
+            // automatic events will NOT be flushed until one of the flags is non-nil
+            let eventQueue = self.mixpanelPersistence.loadEntitiesInBatch(
+                type: self.persistenceTypeFromFlushType(.events),
+                excludeAutomaticEvents: !MixpanelPersistence.automaticEventsFlagIsSet(apiToken: self.apiToken)
+            )
             let peopleQueue = self.mixpanelPersistence.loadEntitiesInBatch(type: self.persistenceTypeFromFlushType(.people))
             let groupsQueue = self.mixpanelPersistence.loadEntitiesInBatch(type: self.persistenceTypeFromFlushType(.groups))
             
@@ -1444,7 +1447,7 @@ extension MixpanelInstance {
                                             token: self.apiToken)
             self.trackingQueue.async { [weak self] in
                 guard let self = self else { return }
-                if !MixpanelPersistence.loadAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(apiToken: self.apiToken) {
+                if !MixpanelPersistence.loadAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(apiToken: self.apiToken) {
                     self.mixpanelPersistence.removeAutomaticEvents()
                 }
             }
diff --git a/Sources/MixpanelPersistence.swift b/Sources/MixpanelPersistence.swift
index 634ea57c..7ec25f8a 100644
--- a/Sources/MixpanelPersistence.swift
+++ b/Sources/MixpanelPersistence.swift
@@ -81,8 +81,11 @@ class MixpanelPersistence {
         }
     }
     
-    func loadEntitiesInBatch(type: PersistenceType, batchSize: Int = Int.max, flag: Bool = false) -> [InternalProperties] {
-        let entities = mpdb.readRows(type, numRows: batchSize, flag: flag)
+    func loadEntitiesInBatch(type: PersistenceType, batchSize: Int = Int.max, flag: Bool = false, excludeAutomaticEvents: Bool = false) -> [InternalProperties] {
+        var entities = mpdb.readRows(type, numRows: batchSize, flag: flag)
+        if excludeAutomaticEvents && type == .events {
+            entities = entities.filter { !($0["event"] as! String).hasPrefix("$ae_") }
+        }
         let distinctId = MixpanelPersistence.loadIdentity(apiToken: apiToken).distinctID
 
         return entities.map { entityWithDistinctId($0, distinctId: distinctId) }
@@ -134,7 +137,7 @@ class MixpanelPersistence {
         return defaults.object(forKey: "\(prefix)\(MixpanelUserDefaultsKeys.optOutStatus)") as? Bool
     }
     
-    static func saveAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(value: Bool, fromDecide: Bool, apiToken: String) {
+    static func saveAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(value: Bool, fromDecide: Bool, apiToken: String) {
         guard let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: MixpanelUserDefaultsKeys.suiteName) else {
             return
         }
@@ -147,7 +150,7 @@ class MixpanelPersistence {
         defaults.synchronize()
     }
     
-    static func loadAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(apiToken: String) -> Bool {
+    static func loadAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(apiToken: String) -> Bool {
         #if TV_AUTO_EVENTS
         return true
         #else
@@ -167,6 +170,22 @@ class MixpanelPersistence {
         #endif
     }
     
+    static func automaticEventsFlagIsSet(apiToken: String) -> Bool {
+        #if TV_AUTO_EVENTS
+        return true
+        #else
+        let prefix = "\(MixpanelUserDefaultsKeys.prefix)-\(apiToken)-"
+        guard let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: MixpanelUserDefaultsKeys.suiteName) else {
+            return false // no user defaults at all
+        }
+        if defaults.object(forKey: "\(prefix)\(MixpanelUserDefaultsKeys.automaticEventEnabled)") == nil &&
+            defaults.object(forKey: "\(prefix)\(MixpanelUserDefaultsKeys.automaticEventEnabledFromDecide)") == nil {
+            return false // neither flag is set
+        }
+        return true // at least one of the flags is set
+        #endif
+    }
+ 
     static func saveTimedEvents(timedEvents: InternalProperties, apiToken: String) {
         guard let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: MixpanelUserDefaultsKeys.suiteName) else {
             return
@@ -297,7 +316,7 @@ class MixpanelPersistence {
             MixpanelPersistence.saveOptOutStatusFlag(value: optOutFlag, apiToken: apiToken)
         }
         if let automaticEventsFlag = automaticEventsEnabled {
-            MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(value: automaticEventsFlag, fromDecide: false, apiToken: apiToken)
+            MixpanelPersistence.saveAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(value: automaticEventsFlag, fromDecide: false, apiToken: apiToken)
         }
         return
     }
diff --git a/Sources/Track.swift b/Sources/Track.swift
index e622e294..1450e4a8 100644
--- a/Sources/Track.swift
+++ b/Sources/Track.swift
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class Track {
     weak var mixpanelInstance: MixpanelInstance?
     
     var isAutomaticEventEnabled: Bool {
-        return MixpanelPersistence.loadAutomacticEventsEnabledFlag(apiToken: apiToken)
+        return MixpanelPersistence.loadAutomaticEventsEnabledFlag(apiToken: apiToken)
     }
 
     init(apiToken: String, lock: ReadWriteLock, metadata: SessionMetadata,