diff --git a/rattail/datasync/rattail.py b/rattail/datasync/rattail.py
index 42c16e924e637a3cf8f847eb383b59067f72c234..dccd3cc7f4e3b6fd377f82c5cee47b55e978940b 100644
--- a/rattail/datasync/rattail.py
+++ b/rattail/datasync/rattail.py
@@ -321,8 +321,11 @@ class FromRattailToRattailExportConsumer(NewDataSyncImportConsumer):
         super(FromRattailToRattailExportConsumer, self).setup()
         self.topo_sortkey = make_topo_sortkey(self.model)
 
+    def make_target_session(self):
+        return Session(bind=self.target_engine)
+
     def process_changes(self, session, changes):
-        target_session = Session(bind=self.target_engine)
+        target_session = self.make_target_session()
 
         if self.runas_username:
             target_session.set_continuum_user(self.runas_username)
diff --git a/rattail/db/__init__.py b/rattail/db/__init__.py
index e36cdc41055bedd75b75cf029962b0baf9d5cc84..02293e729ad5fa7a9ade3b03e0322b45545c53de 100644
--- a/rattail/db/__init__.py
+++ b/rattail/db/__init__.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ if sqlalchemy:
         related to the SQLAlchemy-Continuum integration.
         """
 
-        def __init__(self, rattail_config=None, rattail_record_changes=False, continuum_user=None, **kwargs):
+        def __init__(self, rattail_config=None, rattail_record_changes=None, continuum_user=None, **kwargs):
             """
             Custom constructor, to allow specifying the Continuum user at session
             creation.  If ``continuum_user`` is specified, its value will be passed
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ if sqlalchemy:
             self.rattail_config = rattail_config
 
             # maybe record changes
-            if rattail_record_changes or getattr(self.bind, 'rattail_record_changes', False):
+            if rattail_record_changes is None:
+                rattail_record_changes = getattr(self.bind, 'rattail_record_changes', False)
+            if rattail_record_changes:
                 from rattail.db.changes import record_changes
                 record_changes(self, config=self.rattail_config)
             else:
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ if sqlalchemy:
             self.continuum_user = user
 
 
-    Session = orm.sessionmaker(class_=SessionBase, rattail_config=None, rattail_record_changes=False, expire_on_commit=False)
+    Session = orm.sessionmaker(class_=SessionBase, rattail_config=None, expire_on_commit=False)
 
 
 else: # no sqlalchemy
diff --git a/rattail/tests/db/test_init.py b/rattail/tests/db/test_init.py
index ffc14f652d829bafeae8111b2928eb68182fab20..6a08b46034e431ea6c8b490ac5c049b63fb98fc2 100644
--- a/rattail/tests/db/test_init.py
+++ b/rattail/tests/db/test_init.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class TestSession(TestCase):
 
     def test_init_record_changes(self):
         if hasattr(db.Session, 'kw'):
-            self.assertFalse(db.Session.kw['rattail_record_changes'])
+            self.assertIsNone(db.Session.kw.get('rattail_record_changes'))
 
         session = db.Session()
         self.assertFalse(session.rattail_record_changes)