diff --git a/app/browser/reducers/aboutNewTabReducer.js b/app/browser/reducers/aboutNewTabReducer.js
index b80f2180919..3290d04cf32 100644
--- a/app/browser/reducers/aboutNewTabReducer.js
+++ b/app/browser/reducers/aboutNewTabReducer.js
@@ -44,14 +44,6 @@ const aboutNewTabReducer = (state, action) => {
             torEnabled: action.value
           }
         })
-        if (action.value === true) {
-          // Also enable DDG
-          state = aboutNewTabState.mergeDetails(state, {
-            newTabPageDetail: {
-              useAlternativePrivateSearchEngine: action.value
-            }
-          })
-        }
       }
   }
   return state
diff --git a/js/about/newprivatetab.js b/js/about/newprivatetab.js
index aa50d1bb466..e0031fd0b0e 100644
--- a/js/about/newprivatetab.js
+++ b/js/about/newprivatetab.js
@@ -22,14 +22,22 @@ const useAlternativePrivateSearchEngineDataKeys = ['newTabDetail', 'useAlternati
 const torEnabled = ['newTabDetail', 'torEnabled']
 const torFAQ = 'https://github.com/brave/browser-laptop/wiki/Using-Tor-in-Brave#faq'
 
+const onChangeTor = (value) => {
+  aboutActions.changeSetting(settings.USE_TOR_PRIVATE_TABS, value)
+  if (value === true) {
+    // Also change DDG to enabled since Google is unusable with Tor.
+    aboutActions.changeSetting(settings.USE_ALTERNATIVE_PRIVATE_SEARCH_ENGINE, value)
+  }
+  aboutActions.recreateTorTab(value)
+}
+
 class NewPrivateTab extends React.Component {
   onChangePrivateSearch (e) {
     aboutActions.changeSetting(settings.USE_ALTERNATIVE_PRIVATE_SEARCH_ENGINE, e.target.value)
   }
 
   onChangeTor (e) {
-    aboutActions.changeSetting(settings.USE_TOR_PRIVATE_TABS, e.target.value)
-    aboutActions.recreateTorTab(e.target.value)
+    onChangeTor(e.target.value)
   }
 
   onClickPrivateSearchTitle () {
@@ -39,8 +47,7 @@ class NewPrivateTab extends React.Component {
 
   onClickTorTitle () {
     const newSettingValue = !this.props.newTabData.getIn(torEnabled)
-    aboutActions.changeSetting(settings.USE_TOR_PRIVATE_TABS, newSettingValue)
-    aboutActions.recreateTorTab(newSettingValue)
+    onChangeTor(newSettingValue)
   }
 
   render () {
diff --git a/js/constants/appConfig.js b/js/constants/appConfig.js
index 8c0e1079257..b76e10f481b 100644
--- a/js/constants/appConfig.js
+++ b/js/constants/appConfig.js
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ module.exports = {
     'general.spellcheck-languages': Immutable.fromJS(['en-US']),
     'search.default-search-engine': 'Google',
     'search.offer-search-suggestions': false, // false by default for privacy reasons
-    'search.use-alternate-private-search-engine': true, // true for DDG search in Private Tab since Tor is enabled
+    'search.use-alternate-private-search-engine': false,
     'tabs.switch-to-new-tabs': false,
     'tabs.paint-tabs': true,
     'tabs.tabs-per-page': 20,
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ module.exports = {
     'security.autoplay.media': autoplayOption.ALWAYS_ALLOW,
     'security.flash.installed': false,
     'security.site-isolation-enabled': false,
-    'tor.private-tabs.enabled': true,
+    'tor.private-tabs.enabled': false,
     'shields.blocked-count-badge': true,
     'shields.compact-bravery-panel': false,
     // sync