diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 4c457f625..dd7bec4f2 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ SEARCH_TIMEOUT=5
 QUERY_TIMEOUT=5
 
 # Thumbnails Generation
-ENABLE_THUMBNAIL_GENERATION=false
+ENABLE_THUMBNAIL_GENERATION=true
 
 # S3 configuration
 USE_S3=false
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_book_model.py b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_book_model.py
index 5a2a6c3b6..33854b3d6 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_book_model.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_book_model.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 from io import BytesIO
 import pathlib
 
+import pytest
+
 from dateutil.parser import parse
 from PIL import Image
 from django.core.files.base import ContentFile
@@ -10,6 +12,7 @@ from django.utils import timezone
 
 from bookwyrm import models, settings
 from bookwyrm.models.book import isbn_10_to_13, isbn_13_to_10
+from bookwyrm.settings import ENABLE_THUMBNAIL_GENERATION
 
 
 class Book(TestCase):
@@ -101,6 +104,10 @@ class Book(TestCase):
         self.first_edition.save()
         self.assertEqual(self.first_edition.edition_rank, 1)
 
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(
+        not ENABLE_THUMBNAIL_GENERATION,
+        reason="Thumbnail generation disabled in settings",
+    )
     def test_thumbnail_fields(self):
         """Just hit them"""
         image_file = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.joinpath(
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index e98128544..4ab7a1c34 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ services:
       - static_volume:/app/static
       - media_volume:/app/images
   db:
-    image: postgres
+    image: postgres:13
     env_file: .env
     volumes:
       - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data