diff --git a/config/vufind/Innovative.ini b/config/vufind/Innovative.ini
index 88dcc77b30bc1dac9afc378ae5c9deff39c37448..624aaab922cf8c7fc29c214b523677c45f952856 100644
--- a/config/vufind/Innovative.ini
+++ b/config/vufind/Innovative.ini
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ status_due         = "DUE "
 [PATRONAPI]
 ; Enable III Patron API usage for patron authentication
 ; and profile information.
-enabled = "true"
+enabled = true
 url = http://catalog.library.myuniversity.edu:4500/PATRONAPI/
 
 ; Do not change unless you have changed your indexing routine to
diff --git a/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/Innovative.php b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/Innovative.php
index 4bf2da95e8002aff14260909825b76a430f07c92..016c9f9035d9665d635b64049df557906e814e2c 100644
--- a/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/Innovative.php
+++ b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/Innovative.php
@@ -360,7 +360,8 @@ class Innovative extends AbstractBase implements
     public function patronLogin($username, $password)
     {
         // TODO: if username is a barcode, test to make sure it fits proper format
-        if ($this->config['PATRONAPI']['enabled'] == 'true') {
+        $enabled = $this->config['PATRONAPI']['enabled'] ?? false;
+        if ($enabled && strtolower($enabled) !== 'false') {
             // use patronAPI to authenticate customer
             $url = $this->config['PATRONAPI']['url'];