diff --git a/assets/locales/en/translation.json b/assets/locales/en/translation.json
index 21da87af25..b34fbc39dd 100644
--- a/assets/locales/en/translation.json
+++ b/assets/locales/en/translation.json
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@
   "oidc-user-doesnt-exist-in-tenant-detail": "For email {{-email}} and url {{-url}} and tenant {{-name}}",
   "lang-en": "English",
   "lang-mri": "Māori",
-  "system-message-enabled": "true",
+  "system-message-enabled": "false",
   "system-message-title": "System Notification",
   "system-message-description": "ReDBox will be unavailable from 9am to 12pm on October 20 for system upgrades. Please contact support for any help"
   
diff --git a/views/default/default/layout.ejs b/views/default/default/layout.ejs
index b75184d418..859c14c698 100644
--- a/views/default/default/layout.ejs
+++ b/views/default/default/layout.ejs
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@
     const currentEpochMillis = Date.now();
 
     localStorage.setItem('systemMessageDismissalTime', currentEpochMillis.toString());
-    $//remove the system message area as it takes up space even when hidden
+    //remove the system message area as it takes up space even when hidden
     const systemMessageArea = document.getElementById('system-message-area');
       systemMessageArea.parentNode.removeChild(systemMessageArea)
   })