diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index cdc9250841..309b72215e 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Improvements 🙌:
  - Handle code tags (#567)
 
 Other changes:
+ - Markdown set to off by default (#412)
  - Accessibility improvements to the attachment file type chooser
 
 Bugfix 🐛:
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/command/CommandParser.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/command/CommandParser.kt
index ac79ed8b40..9cf6510fdb 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/command/CommandParser.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/command/CommandParser.kt
@@ -44,12 +44,11 @@ object CommandParser {
                 return ParsedCommand.ErrorNotACommand
             }
 
-            var messageParts: List<String>? = null
-
-            try {
-                messageParts = textMessage.split("\\s+".toRegex()).dropLastWhile { it.isEmpty() }
+            val messageParts = try {
+                textMessage.split("\\s+".toRegex()).dropLastWhile { it.isEmpty() }
             } catch (e: Exception) {
                 Timber.e(e, "## manageSplashCommand() : split failed")
+                null
             }
 
             // test if the string cut fails
@@ -57,10 +56,8 @@ object CommandParser {
                 return ParsedCommand.ErrorEmptySlashCommand
             }
 
-            val slashCommand = messageParts[0]
-
-            when (slashCommand) {
-                Command.CHANGE_DISPLAY_NAME.command -> {
+            when (val slashCommand = messageParts.first()) {
+                Command.CHANGE_DISPLAY_NAME.command    -> {
                     val newDisplayName = textMessage.substring(Command.CHANGE_DISPLAY_NAME.command.length).trim()
 
                     return if (newDisplayName.isNotEmpty()) {
@@ -69,7 +66,7 @@ object CommandParser {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.CHANGE_DISPLAY_NAME)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.TOPIC.command -> {
+                Command.TOPIC.command                  -> {
                     val newTopic = textMessage.substring(Command.TOPIC.command.length).trim()
 
                     return if (newTopic.isNotEmpty()) {
@@ -78,12 +75,12 @@ object CommandParser {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.TOPIC)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.EMOTE.command -> {
+                Command.EMOTE.command                  -> {
                     val message = textMessage.substring(Command.EMOTE.command.length).trim()
 
                     return ParsedCommand.SendEmote(message)
                 }
-                Command.JOIN_ROOM.command -> {
+                Command.JOIN_ROOM.command              -> {
                     val roomAlias = textMessage.substring(Command.JOIN_ROOM.command.length).trim()
 
                     return if (roomAlias.isNotEmpty()) {
@@ -92,7 +89,7 @@ object CommandParser {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.JOIN_ROOM)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.PART.command -> {
+                Command.PART.command                   -> {
                     val roomAlias = textMessage.substring(Command.PART.command.length).trim()
 
                     return if (roomAlias.isNotEmpty()) {
@@ -101,7 +98,7 @@ object CommandParser {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.PART)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.INVITE.command -> {
+                Command.INVITE.command                 -> {
                     return if (messageParts.size == 2) {
                         val userId = messageParts[1]
 
@@ -114,7 +111,7 @@ object CommandParser {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.INVITE)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.KICK_USER.command -> {
+                Command.KICK_USER.command              -> {
                     return if (messageParts.size >= 2) {
                         val userId = messageParts[1]
                         if (MatrixPatterns.isUserId(userId)) {
@@ -130,7 +127,7 @@ object CommandParser {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.KICK_USER)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.BAN_USER.command -> {
+                Command.BAN_USER.command               -> {
                     return if (messageParts.size >= 2) {
                         val userId = messageParts[1]
                         if (MatrixPatterns.isUserId(userId)) {
@@ -146,7 +143,7 @@ object CommandParser {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.BAN_USER)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.UNBAN_USER.command -> {
+                Command.UNBAN_USER.command             -> {
                     return if (messageParts.size == 2) {
                         val userId = messageParts[1]
 
@@ -159,7 +156,7 @@ object CommandParser {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.UNBAN_USER)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.SET_USER_POWER_LEVEL.command -> {
+                Command.SET_USER_POWER_LEVEL.command   -> {
                     return if (messageParts.size == 3) {
                         val userId = messageParts[1]
                         if (MatrixPatterns.isUserId(userId)) {
@@ -192,25 +189,25 @@ object CommandParser {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.SET_USER_POWER_LEVEL)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.MARKDOWN.command -> {
+                Command.MARKDOWN.command               -> {
                     return if (messageParts.size == 2) {
                         when {
-                            "on".equals(messageParts[1], true) -> ParsedCommand.SetMarkdown(true)
+                            "on".equals(messageParts[1], true)  -> ParsedCommand.SetMarkdown(true)
                             "off".equals(messageParts[1], true) -> ParsedCommand.SetMarkdown(false)
-                            else -> ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.MARKDOWN)
+                            else                                -> ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.MARKDOWN)
                         }
                     } else {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.MARKDOWN)
                     }
                 }
-                Command.CLEAR_SCALAR_TOKEN.command -> {
+                Command.CLEAR_SCALAR_TOKEN.command     -> {
                     return if (messageParts.size == 1) {
                         ParsedCommand.ClearScalarToken
                     } else {
                         ParsedCommand.ErrorSyntax(Command.CLEAR_SCALAR_TOKEN)
                     }
                 }
-                else -> {
+                else                                   -> {
                     // Unknown command
                     return ParsedCommand.ErrorUnknownSlashCommand(slashCommand)
                 }
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/settings/VectorPreferences.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/settings/VectorPreferences.kt
index f9601265d3..a593bb6e96 100755
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/settings/VectorPreferences.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/settings/VectorPreferences.kt
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ class VectorPreferences @Inject constructor(private val context: Context) {
      * @return true if the markdown is enabled
      */
     fun isMarkdownEnabled(): Boolean {
-        return defaultPrefs.getBoolean(SETTINGS_ENABLE_MARKDOWN_KEY, true)
+        return defaultPrefs.getBoolean(SETTINGS_ENABLE_MARKDOWN_KEY, false)
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/vector/src/main/res/xml/vector_settings_preferences.xml b/vector/src/main/res/xml/vector_settings_preferences.xml
index 11209b5345..96471cfebe 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/res/xml/vector_settings_preferences.xml
+++ b/vector/src/main/res/xml/vector_settings_preferences.xml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
             android:title="@string/settings_send_typing_notifs" />
 
         <im.vector.riotx.core.preference.VectorSwitchPreference
-            android:defaultValue="true"
+            android:defaultValue="false"
             android:key="SETTINGS_ENABLE_MARKDOWN_KEY"
             android:summary="@string/settings_send_markdown_summary"
             android:title="@string/settings_send_markdown" />