diff --git a/av1/encoder/rdopt.c b/av1/encoder/rdopt.c
index 1e03fe6..f8a4eb6 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/rdopt.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/rdopt.c
@@ -12185,7 +12185,7 @@
            mbmi->mode == SMOOTH_V_PRED))
         continue;
       if (!cpi->oxcf.enable_paeth_intra && mbmi->mode == PAETH_PRED) continue;
-      if (sf->adaptive_mode_search)
+      if (sf->adaptive_mode_search > 1)
         if ((x->source_variance << num_pels_log2_lookup[bsize]) >
             search_state.best_pred_sse)
           continue;
diff --git a/av1/encoder/speed_features.c b/av1/encoder/speed_features.c
index fd89904..5b6e6f1 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/speed_features.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/speed_features.c
@@ -399,6 +399,8 @@
     sf->mv.search_method = FAST_HEX;
     sf->partition_search_type = REFERENCE_PARTITION;
     sf->mode_search_skip_flags |= FLAG_SKIP_INTRA_DIRMISMATCH;
+    // TODO(any): evaluate adaptive_mode_search=1 for speed 7 & 8
+    sf->adaptive_mode_search = 2;
   }
   if (speed >= 8) {
     sf->mv.search_method = FAST_DIAMOND;