diff --git a/app/consumer/genesis.go b/app/consumer/genesis.go
index e8cd96e600..176d9d2d0e 100644
--- a/app/consumer/genesis.go
+++ b/app/consumer/genesis.go
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ func transformToNew(jsonRaw []byte, ctx client.Context) (json.RawMessage, error)
 		oldConsumerGenesis.Params.RetryDelayPeriod = types.DefaultRetryDelayPeriod
 	}
 
-	// `SoftOptThreshold` is deprecated in the current consumer implementation, so set to empty
-	oldConsumerGenesis.Params.SoftOptOutThreshold = ""
+	// `SoftOptOutThreshold` is deprecated in the current consumer implementation, so set to zero
+	oldConsumerGenesis.Params.SoftOptOutThreshold = "0"
 
 	// Versions before v3.3.x of provider genesis data fills up deprecated fields
 	// ProviderClientState, ConsensusState and InitialValSet in type GenesisState
diff --git a/app/consumer/genesis_test.go b/app/consumer/genesis_test.go
index 7fa37c7d20..16cdf94e25 100644
--- a/app/consumer/genesis_test.go
+++ b/app/consumer/genesis_test.go
@@ -495,8 +495,8 @@ func TestConsumerGenesisTransformationFromV2ToCurrent(t *testing.T) {
 	require.EqualValues(t, srcGenesis.Params.HistoricalEntries, resultGenesis.Params.HistoricalEntries)
 	require.EqualValues(t, srcGenesis.Params.UnbondingPeriod, resultGenesis.Params.UnbondingPeriod)
 
-	// `SoftOptOutThreshold` is deprecated, so it should not be set in the current version
-	require.EqualValues(t, "", resultGenesis.Params.SoftOptOutThreshold)
+	// `SoftOptOutThreshold` is deprecated, so it should be set to zero the current version
+	require.EqualValues(t, "0", resultGenesis.Params.SoftOptOutThreshold)
 	require.EqualValues(t, srcGenesis.Params.RewardDenoms, resultGenesis.Params.RewardDenoms)
 	require.EqualValues(t, srcGenesis.Params.ProviderRewardDenoms, resultGenesis.Params.ProviderRewardDenoms)
 
@@ -568,8 +568,8 @@ func TestConsumerGenesisTransformationV330ToCurrent(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, srcGenesis.Params.HistoricalEntries, resultGenesis.Params.HistoricalEntries)
 	require.Equal(t, srcGenesis.Params.UnbondingPeriod, resultGenesis.Params.UnbondingPeriod)
 
-	// `SoftOptOutThreshold` is deprecated, so it should not be set in the current version
-	require.Equal(t, "", resultGenesis.Params.SoftOptOutThreshold)
+	// `SoftOptOutThreshold` is deprecated, so it should be set to zero the current version
+	require.Equal(t, "0", resultGenesis.Params.SoftOptOutThreshold)
 
 	require.Equal(t, srcGenesis.Params.RewardDenoms, resultGenesis.Params.RewardDenoms)
 	require.Equal(t, srcGenesis.Params.ProviderRewardDenoms, resultGenesis.Params.ProviderRewardDenoms)
diff --git a/tests/e2e/actions.go b/tests/e2e/actions.go
index 918653cfc2..3bab10cb94 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/actions.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/actions.go
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ func (tr *TestConfig) startConsumerChain(
 
 	// Note that Soft Opt-Out has been deprecated. Nevertheless, the parameter still exists and is expected to be set
 	// because the SDK requires that all params are set to valid values in the genesis file.
-	action.GenesisChanges = action.GenesisChanges + ".app_state.ccvconsumer.params.soft_opt_out_threshold = \"\""
+	action.GenesisChanges = action.GenesisChanges + ".app_state.ccvconsumer.params.soft_opt_out_threshold = \"0\""
 
 	consumerGenesis := ".app_state.ccvconsumer = " + tr.getConsumerGenesis(action.ProviderChain, action.ConsumerChain, target)
 	consumerGenesisChanges := tr.chainConfigs[action.ConsumerChain].GenesisChanges
@@ -844,7 +844,7 @@ func (tr TestConfig) changeoverChain(
 
 	// Note that Soft Opt-Out has been deprecated. Nevertheless, the parameter still exists and is expected to be set
 	// because the SDK requires that all params are set to valid values in the genesis file.
-	action.GenesisChanges = action.GenesisChanges + ".app_state.ccvconsumer.params.soft_opt_out_threshold = \"\""
+	action.GenesisChanges = action.GenesisChanges + ".app_state.ccvconsumer.params.soft_opt_out_threshold = \"0\""
 
 	consumerGenesis := ".app_state.ccvconsumer = " + string(bz)
 	consumerGenesisChanges := tr.chainConfigs[action.SovereignChain].GenesisChanges
diff --git a/x/ccv/provider/keeper/proposal_test.go b/x/ccv/provider/keeper/proposal_test.go
index d20bc75842..5ea2080348 100644
--- a/x/ccv/provider/keeper/proposal_test.go
+++ b/x/ccv/provider/keeper/proposal_test.go
@@ -876,7 +876,7 @@ func TestMakeConsumerGenesis(t *testing.T) {
 			"consumer_redistribution_fraction": "0.75",
 			"historical_entries": 10000,
 			"unbonding_period": 1728000000000000,
-			"soft_opt_out_threshold": "",
+			"soft_opt_out_threshold": "0",
 			"reward_denoms": [],
 			"provider_reward_denoms": [],
 			"retry_delay_period": 3600000000000
diff --git a/x/ccv/types/params.go b/x/ccv/types/params.go
index be3fe7f533..5759ce28f9 100644
--- a/x/ccv/types/params.go
+++ b/x/ccv/types/params.go
@@ -79,9 +79,11 @@ func NewParams(enabled bool, blocksPerDistributionTransmission int64,
 		ConsumerRedistributionFraction:    consumerRedistributionFraction,
 		HistoricalEntries:                 historicalEntries,
 		UnbondingPeriod:                   consumerUnbondingPeriod,
-		RewardDenoms:                      rewardDenoms,
-		ProviderRewardDenoms:              providerRewardDenoms,
-		RetryDelayPeriod:                  retryDelayPeriod,
+		// DEPRECATED but setting here to 0 (i.e., disabled) for older versions of interchain-security
+		SoftOptOutThreshold:  "0",
+		RewardDenoms:         rewardDenoms,
+		ProviderRewardDenoms: providerRewardDenoms,
+		RetryDelayPeriod:     retryDelayPeriod,
 	}
 }