diff --git a/src/flags.luau b/src/flags.luau
index 962301d..1b9f80e 100644
--- a/src/flags.luau
+++ b/src/flags.luau
@@ -1 +1,7 @@
-return { strict = false }
+local function inline_test(): string
+    return debug.info(1, "n")
+end
+
+local is_O2 = inline_test() ~= "inline_test"
+
+return { strict = not is_O2 }
diff --git a/src/init.luau b/src/init.luau
index 84d2ae4..62b6281 100644
--- a/src/init.luau
+++ b/src/init.luau
@@ -91,28 +91,22 @@ local vide = {
     end
 }
 
-do
-    local set = false
-
-    setmetatable(vide :: any, {
-        __index = function(_, index: unknown): ()
-            if index == "strict" then
-                return flags.strict
-            else
-                throw(`{tostring(index)} is not a valid member of vide`)
-            end
-        end,
-
-        __newindex = function(_, index: unknown, value: unknown)
-            if index == "strict" then
-                if set then throw "strict mode has already been set" end
-                set = true
-                flags.strict = value :: boolean
-            else
-                throw(`{tostring(index)} is not a valid member of vide`)
-            end
+setmetatable(vide :: any, {
+    __index = function(_, index: unknown): ()
+        if index == "strict" then
+            return flags.strict
+        else
+            throw(`{tostring(index)} is not a valid member of vide`)
         end
-    })
-end
+    end,
+
+    __newindex = function(_, index: unknown, value: unknown)
+        if index == "strict" then
+            flags.strict = value :: boolean
+        else
+            throw(`{tostring(index)} is not a valid member of vide`)
+        end
+    end
+})
 
 return vide
diff --git a/test/benchmark.luau b/test/benchmark.luau
index 6702235..ca9c436 100644
--- a/test/benchmark.luau
+++ b/test/benchmark.luau
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ local values = vide.values
 local cleanup = vide.cleanup
 local create = vide.create
 
+assert(not vide.strict)
+
 local function TITLE(name: string)
     print()
     print(testkit.color.white(name))
diff --git a/test/tests.luau b/test/tests.luau
index b0e7e67..a12df38 100644
--- a/test/tests.luau
+++ b/test/tests.luau
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ end
 
 local NIL = nil :: any
 
+vide.strict = false
+
 TEST("graph", function()
     local create_node = graph.create_node
     local track = graph.track
@@ -1644,6 +1646,8 @@ TEST("changed()", wrap_root(function()
     end
 end))
 
+vide.strict = true
+
 TEST("strict", wrap_root(function()
     vide.strict = true
 
diff --git a/todo.md b/todo.md
index bac72b2..5b9fc47 100644
--- a/todo.md
+++ b/todo.md
@@ -1,16 +1,13 @@
 # todo
 
-- auto-enable of strict mode depending on compiler optimizaton level
 - property binding optimization
   - would no longer allow `cleanup()` usage in binding scopes
 - solution to nested reactivity, see: SolidJS stores
-- investigate performance of wide graphs
-- optimize child removal
+- optimize wide graph updating
 - implement from solid:
   - Portal
   - batch
 - optimize `indexes()` double-diffing
 - define behavior of deriving a source within a derived source
-- review destruction of node under a root that has a child in another root
-- check in strict mode for forgetting to call constructor `create(class)`
+- define behavior of node destruction under a root that has a child in another root
 - improve crash course, some sections feel like information dumps