diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 8349e38b..0d0fdbbd 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ MOBILE_APP_ANDROID_PACKAGE=life.doxa.pray
 # Mapbox (used by the prayer map on /pray)
 NUXT_PUBLIC_MAPBOX_TOKEN=your-mapbox-public-token
 
-# Research page: load the dx-maps tree from a maps CDN instead of this site's public/dx-maps copy.
-# Unset = the local copy. The CDN must send Access-Control-Allow-Origin for the tree.
+# Research page: where the dx-maps tree loads from. Unset = the maps CDN below (this branch's default).
+# Set it empty (NUXT_PUBLIC_DX_MAPS_BASE=) to use this site's own public/dx-maps copy instead.
+# The CDN must send Access-Control-Allow-Origin for the tree.
 # NUXT_PUBLIC_DX_MAPS_BASE=https://maps-dev.nuxtbase.app/cdn/dx-maps
 
 # Cloudflare Turnstile
diff --git a/DX-MAPS-GALLERY.md b/DX-MAPS-GALLERY.md
index a5f00c29..a87ed477 100644
--- a/DX-MAPS-GALLERY.md
+++ b/DX-MAPS-GALLERY.md
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@ or `.env` is needed for this page. Without `DATABASE_URL`, the dev server only l
   `regions-dashboard`, `upg-100`, and so on).
 - Share and embed links in the maps point at this site's own `/dx-maps/` pages.
 
-## Maps from a CDN instead of the local copy
+## Maps from the CDN (this branch's default)
 
-Set `NUXT_PUBLIC_DX_MAPS_BASE` to a dx-maps tree URL, for example
-`NUXT_PUBLIC_DX_MAPS_BASE=https://maps-dev.nuxtbase.app/cdn/dx-maps`. The Research page then loads the
-gallery script and every map from there. That host must send `Access-Control-Allow-Origin` for the tree.
-Unset (the default), the page uses this site's own `public/dx-maps/` copy, as above. The home, pray and adopt
-maps still load from the local copy.
+On this branch the Research page loads the gallery script and every map from the maps CDN,
+`https://maps-dev.nuxtbase.app/cdn/dx-maps`, by default. Set `NUXT_PUBLIC_DX_MAPS_BASE` to another dx-maps
+tree URL to use that instead. Set it empty (`NUXT_PUBLIC_DX_MAPS_BASE=`) to use this site's own
+`public/dx-maps/` copy. The host must send `Access-Control-Allow-Origin` for the tree. The home, pray and
+adopt maps still load from the local copy.
 
 ## Updating the maps
 
diff --git a/nuxt.config.ts b/nuxt.config.ts
index 9a85a8ff..db41056f 100644
--- a/nuxt.config.ts
+++ b/nuxt.config.ts
@@ -286,9 +286,10 @@ export default defineNuxtConfig({
       siteUrl: process.env.NUXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL || '',
       prayBaseUrl: process.env.NUXT_PUBLIC_PRAY_BASE_URL || 'https://pray.doxa.life',
       mapboxToken: process.env.NUXT_PUBLIC_MAPBOX_TOKEN || '',
-      // Where the Research page loads the dx-maps tree from (e.g. https://maps-dev.nuxtbase.app/cdn/dx-maps).
-      // Unset: this site's own /dx-maps/ copy (public/dx-maps). A foreign host must send CORS for the tree.
-      dxMapsBase: process.env.NUXT_PUBLIC_DX_MAPS_BASE || '',
+      // Where the Research page loads the dx-maps tree from. This branch defaults to the maps CDN (the
+      // Plugin Studio container's /cdn). Set NUXT_PUBLIC_DX_MAPS_BASE= (empty) to use this site's own
+      // /dx-maps/ copy (public/dx-maps) instead. A foreign host must send CORS for the tree.
+      dxMapsBase: process.env.NUXT_PUBLIC_DX_MAPS_BASE ?? 'https://maps-dev.nuxtbase.app/cdn/dx-maps',
       statinatorUrl: process.env.NUXT_PUBLIC_STATINATOR_URL || 'https://statinator.doxa.life',
       statinatorProjectId: process.env.NUXT_PUBLIC_STATINATOR_PROJECT_ID || 'doxa',
       statinatorEnabled: process.env.NUXT_PUBLIC_STATINATOR_ENABLED === 'true',