diff --git a/packages/landing/src/__tests__/map.config.test.ts b/packages/landing/src/__tests__/map.config.test.ts
index 9d6899706..14d90bb33 100644
--- a/packages/landing/src/__tests__/map.config.test.ts
+++ b/packages/landing/src/__tests__/map.config.test.ts
@@ -209,10 +209,20 @@ describe('WindowUrl', () => {
     assert.equal(mc.labels, true);
 
     // aerial layer, labels enabled & debug disabled
-    mc.updateFromUrl('?labels=true');
-    assert.equal(mc.layerId, 'aerial');
-    assert.equal(mc.isDebug, false);
-    assert.equal(mc.labels, true);
+    for (const params of ['?labels', '?labels=true']) {
+      mc.updateFromUrl(params);
+      assert.equal(mc.layerId, 'aerial');
+      assert.equal(mc.isDebug, false);
+      assert.equal(mc.labels, true);
+    }
+
+    // aerial layer, labels enabled & debug enabled
+    for (const params of ['?labels&debug', '?labels=true&debug']) {
+      mc.updateFromUrl(params);
+      assert.equal(mc.layerId, 'aerial');
+      assert.equal(mc.isDebug, true);
+      assert.equal(mc.labels, true);
+    }
   });
 
   it('should not enable labels by default', () => {
diff --git a/packages/landing/src/config.map.ts b/packages/landing/src/config.map.ts
index 23c957462..6bd80302c 100644
--- a/packages/landing/src/config.map.ts
+++ b/packages/landing/src/config.map.ts
@@ -145,10 +145,14 @@ export class MapConfig extends Emitter<MapConfigEvents> {
     this.style = style ?? null;
     this.layerId = layerId.startsWith('im_') ? layerId.slice(3) : layerId;
     this.tileMatrix = tileMatrix;
-    if (labels == null) {
-      this.labels = layerId === 'aerial' && this.isDebug === false;
+    this.labels = false;
+
+    if (typeof labels === 'string') {
+      // enable labels for any string value other than "false"
+      if (labels !== 'false') this.labels = true;
     } else {
-      this.labels = labels !== 'false';
+      // if not in debug mode, show labels for the aerial layer by default
+      if (layerId === 'aerial' && !this.isDebug) this.labels = true;
     }
 
     if (this.layerId === 'topographic' && this.style == null) this.style = 'topographic';