diff --git a/mac/daemon.py b/mac/daemon.py
index 364258e..f1ddf6c 100644
--- a/mac/daemon.py
+++ b/mac/daemon.py
@@ -83,6 +83,12 @@ def do_print(body, encode):
 
         before = verified = None
         if encode:
+            # Deliberately NO `SET RFID` here. It was tried as an "arm the radio first" step and
+            # made things worse: on this firmware a SET RFID sent while the module is already
+            # active silenced every UHF command that followed (READ/QUERY returned no bytes at
+            # all, all tag types, until a power-cycle) -- and that looks identical to a media
+            # alignment problem. The printer arms RFID itself on power-up; leave that alone.
+            # Likewise never send &DEFAULT,i from here (README warns it re-arms/resets RFID).
             # UHF WRITE commits immediately -- it does NOT wait for PRINT (daemon.cs
             # assumed it did). That lets us read the chip back and confirm the encode
             # BEFORE spending a label on it.
diff --git a/mac/urovo.py b/mac/urovo.py
index be471a6..6f62ae9 100644
--- a/mac/urovo.py
+++ b/mac/urovo.py
@@ -226,9 +226,15 @@ class Urovo(object):
     def rfid_setup_default(self):     self.cmd('&DEFAULT,i')
     def rfid_autocalibrate(self):     self.cmd('&CALIBRATE,A,R')
 
-    def set_rfid(self, tag_type=0, rw_position=0, void_printout=0,
+    def set_rfid(self, tag_type=1, rw_position=0, void_printout=0,
                  try_encode=3, error_handle=0, speed=1, retry=3):
-        """SET RFID -- positions are in DOTS (203dpi = 8 dots/mm), never mm."""
+        """SET RFID -- positions are in DOTS (203dpi = 8 dots/mm), never mm.
+
+        tag_type=1 is UHF Gen2. tag_type=0 is RFID OFF -- and it used to be the default here.
+        Seen live: after &DEFAULT,i the module went completely silent (UHF QUERY/READ returned
+        no bytes at all while model()/status() answered), reads failed at every media position,
+        and a 40 mm sweep found "no chip" on a roll whose inlay fills the label. SET RFID 1,...
+        brought it back on the first try. Never default to 0."""
         self.cmd('SET RFID %s,%s,%s,%s,%s,%s,%s' % (
             tag_type, rw_position, void_printout, try_encode, error_handle, speed, retry))