diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/FeatureFlags.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/FeatureFlags.kt
index 7a38cefb84..1b6412354d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/FeatureFlags.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/FeatureFlags.kt
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ object FeatureFlags {
     val showRecentTabsFeature = Config.channel.isNightlyOrDebug
 
     /**
-     * Enables recording of history metadata.
+     * Enables UI features based on history metadata.
      */
-    val historyMetadataFeature = Config.channel.isDebug
+    val historyMetadataUIFeature = Config.channel.isDebug
 
     /**
      * Enables the recently saved bookmarks feature in the home screen.
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/browser/BrowserFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/browser/BrowserFragment.kt
index 1ef5080a44..d88a717c77 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/browser/BrowserFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/browser/BrowserFragment.kt
@@ -272,9 +272,7 @@ class BrowserFragment : BaseBrowserFragment(), UserInteractionHandler {
     override fun onStop() {
         super.onStop()
         updateLastBrowseActivity()
-        if (requireContext().settings().historyMetadataFeature) {
-            updateHistoryMetadata()
-        }
+        updateHistoryMetadata()
         pwaOnboardingObserver?.stop()
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/components/Core.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/components/Core.kt
index e39c04bad0..a1a6b8623d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/components/Core.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/components/Core.kt
@@ -208,13 +208,10 @@ class Core(
                 RecordingDevicesMiddleware(context),
                 PromptMiddleware(),
                 AdsTelemetryMiddleware(adsTelemetry),
-                LastMediaAccessMiddleware()
+                LastMediaAccessMiddleware(),
+                HistoryMetadataMiddleware(historyMetadataService)
             )
 
-        if (context.settings().historyMetadataFeature) {
-            middlewareList += HistoryMetadataMiddleware(historyMetadataService)
-        }
-
         BrowserStore(
             middleware = middlewareList + EngineMiddleware.create(engine)
         ).apply {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/home/HomeFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/home/HomeFragment.kt
index e2b4397079..513d5a2692 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/home/HomeFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/home/HomeFragment.kt
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ class HomeFragment : Fragment() {
             )
         }
 
-        if (requireContext().settings().historyMetadataFeature) {
+        if (requireContext().settings().historyMetadataUIFeature) {
             historyMetadataFeature.set(
                 feature = HistoryMetadataFeature(
                     homeStore = homeFragmentStore,
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/search/awesomebar/AwesomeBarView.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/search/awesomebar/AwesomeBarView.kt
index 212bfdeb0d..0d8c288abb 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/search/awesomebar/AwesomeBarView.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/search/awesomebar/AwesomeBarView.kt
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ class AwesomeBarView(
         val providersToAdd = mutableSetOf<AwesomeBar.SuggestionProvider>()
 
         if (state.showHistorySuggestions) {
-            if (activity.settings().historyMetadataFeature) {
+            if (activity.settings().historyMetadataUIFeature) {
                 providersToAdd.add(combinedHistoryProvider)
             } else {
                 providersToAdd.add(historyStorageProvider)
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ class AwesomeBarView(
         providersToRemove.add(shortcutsEnginePickerProvider)
 
         if (!state.showHistorySuggestions) {
-            if (activity.settings().historyMetadataFeature) {
+            if (activity.settings().historyMetadataUIFeature) {
                 providersToRemove.add(combinedHistoryProvider)
             } else {
                 providersToRemove.add(historyStorageProvider)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/settings/SecretSettingsFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/settings/SecretSettingsFragment.kt
index 5a989d71a9..2ace1c605b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/settings/SecretSettingsFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/settings/SecretSettingsFragment.kt
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class SecretSettingsFragment : PreferenceFragmentCompat() {
 
         requirePreference<SwitchPreference>(R.string.pref_key_history_metadata_feature).apply {
             isVisible = true
-            isChecked = context.settings().historyMetadataFeature
+            isChecked = context.settings().historyMetadataUIFeature
             onPreferenceChangeListener = object : SharedPreferenceUpdater() {
                 override fun onPreferenceChange(preference: Preference, newValue: Any?): Boolean {
                     val result = super.onPreferenceChange(preference, newValue)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/Settings.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/Settings.kt
index 93785cbd4b..e3def6db06 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/Settings.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/Settings.kt
@@ -1101,10 +1101,10 @@ class Settings(private val appContext: Context) : PreferencesHolder {
         default = false
     )
 
-    var historyMetadataFeature by featureFlagPreference(
+    var historyMetadataUIFeature by featureFlagPreference(
         appContext.getPreferenceKey(R.string.pref_key_history_metadata_feature),
-        default = FeatureFlags.historyMetadataFeature,
-        featureFlag = FeatureFlags.historyMetadataFeature || isHistoryMetadataEnabled
+        default = FeatureFlags.historyMetadataUIFeature,
+        featureFlag = FeatureFlags.historyMetadataUIFeature || isHistoryMetadataEnabled
     )
 
     /**