diff --git a/src/__tests__/consent.test.ts b/src/__tests__/consent.test.ts
index b6f520ee5..89a892aa9 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/consent.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/consent.test.ts
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ describe('consentManager', () => {
         deleteAllCookies()
     })
 
-    it('should start default opted in', () => {
-        expect(posthog.has_opted_in_capturing()).toBe(true)
+    it('should start neither opted in or out', () => {
+        expect(posthog.has_opted_in_capturing()).toBe(false)
         expect(posthog.has_opted_out_capturing()).toBe(false)
 
         expect(posthog.persistence?.disabled).toBe(false)
@@ -188,10 +188,12 @@ describe('consentManager', () => {
         it('should respect it if explicitly set', () => {
             posthog = createPostHog({ respect_dnt: true })
             expect(posthog.has_opted_in_capturing()).toBe(false)
+            expect(posthog.has_opted_out_capturing()).toBe(true)
         })
 
         it('should not respect it if not explicitly set', () => {
-            expect(posthog.has_opted_in_capturing()).toBe(true)
+            expect(posthog.has_opted_in_capturing()).toBe(false)
+            expect(posthog.has_opted_out_capturing()).toBe(false)
         })
     })
 
diff --git a/src/consent.ts b/src/consent.ts
index 0b6f4b830..a4010fbcc 100644
--- a/src/consent.ts
+++ b/src/consent.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export class ConsentManager {
         return this.storedConsent
     }
 
+    // NOTE: This is the method that should generally be used internally to check for whether we can track
     public isOptedOut() {
         return (
             this.consent === ConsentStatus.DENIED ||
@@ -39,8 +40,9 @@ export class ConsentManager {
         )
     }
 
+    // Only returns true if _explicitly_ opted in. If the user is pending, they are not opted in.
     public isOptedIn() {
-        return !this.isOptedOut()
+        return this.consent === ConsentStatus.GRANTED
     }
 
     public optInOut(isOptedIn: boolean) {
diff --git a/src/posthog-core.ts b/src/posthog-core.ts
index c7594073e..4de82a417 100644
--- a/src/posthog-core.ts
+++ b/src/posthog-core.ts
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ export class PostHog {
             // NOTE: We want to fire this on the next tick as the previous implementation had this side effect
             // and some clients may rely on it
             setTimeout(() => {
-                if (this.consent.isOptedIn()) {
+                if (!this.consent.isOptedOut()) {
                     this._captureInitialPageview()
                 }
             }, 1)