diff --git a/Documentation/Routers/Binlogrouter.md b/Documentation/Routers/Binlogrouter.md
index 69a11b4c3..f209c7027 100644
--- a/Documentation/Routers/Binlogrouter.md
+++ b/Documentation/Routers/Binlogrouter.md
@@ -296,13 +296,13 @@ Example:
 ```
 
 ### `mariadb10_master_gtid`
-This option allows MaxScale binlog router to register
-with MariaDB 10.X master using GTID instead of _binlog_file_ name
-and _position_ in CHANGE MASTER TO admin command.
 
-The user can set a known GTID or an empty value
-(in this case the Master server will send events
-from it's first available binlog file).
+This option allows MaxScale binlog router to register with MariaDB 10.X master
+using GTID instead of _binlog_file_ name and _position_ in CHANGE MASTER TO
+admin command. This feature is disabled by default.
+
+The user can set a known GTID or an empty value (in this case the Master server
+will send events from it's first available binlog file).
 
 Example of MaxScale connection to a MariaDB 10.X Master
 
@@ -316,13 +316,13 @@ MariaDB> CHANGE MASTER TO
 MariaDB> START SLAVE;
 ```
 
-If using GTID request then it's no longer possible to use
-MASTER_LOG_FILE and MASTER_LOG_POS in `CHANGE MASTER TO`
-command: an error will be reported.
+If using GTID request then it's no longer possible to use MASTER_LOG_FILE and
+MASTER_LOG_POS in `CHANGE MASTER TO` command: an error will be reported.
 
-The default option value is _Off_, setting it to _On_
-automatically sets _mariadb10_slave_gtid_ to _On_
-(which enables GTID storage and GTID slave connections)
+If this feature is enabled, the _mariadb10_slave_gtid_ and
+_transaction_safety_ features will be automatically enabled. The binlog
+files will also be stored in a hierarchical directory tree instead of a
+single directory.
 
 **Note:**
 
diff --git a/server/modules/routing/binlogrouter/blr.c b/server/modules/routing/binlogrouter/blr.c
index e7c485b67..522dd8f99 100644
--- a/server/modules/routing/binlogrouter/blr.c
+++ b/server/modules/routing/binlogrouter/blr.c
@@ -770,6 +770,8 @@ createInstance(SERVICE *service, char **options)
     {
         /* Force GTID slave request handling */
         inst->mariadb10_gtid = true;
+        /* Force transaction safety */
+        inst->trx_safe = true;
         /* Force binlog storage as tree */
         inst->storage_type = BLR_BINLOG_STORAGE_TREE;
     }
@@ -782,18 +784,8 @@ createInstance(SERVICE *service, char **options)
                "'tree' mode using GTID domain_id and server_id");
 
     /* Enable MariaDB the GTID maps store */
-    if (inst->mariadb10_compat &&
-        inst->mariadb10_gtid)
+    if (inst->mariadb10_compat && inst->mariadb10_master_gtid)
     {
-        if (!inst->trx_safe)
-        {
-            MXS_ERROR("MariaDB GTID can be enabled only"
-                      " with Transaction Safety feature."
-                      " Please enable it with option 'transaction_safety = on'");
-            free_instance(inst);
-            return NULL;
-        }
-
         /* Create/Open R/W GTID sqlite3 storage */
         if (!blr_open_gtid_maps_storage(inst))
         {