diff --git a/packages/cookie-banner/src/client.ts b/packages/cookie-banner/src/client.ts
index c31d6294d..eb0277e92 100644
--- a/packages/cookie-banner/src/client.ts
+++ b/packages/cookie-banner/src/client.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ export class CookieBannerClient {
   }
 
   async load(): Promise<void> {
+    for (const integration of this.integrations) {
+      integration.bootstrap();
+    }
+
     const configUrl = new URL(`${this.bannerId}/config`, this.baseUrl);
     if (this.lang) {
       configUrl.searchParams.set("lang", this.lang);
@@ -89,6 +93,8 @@ export class CookieBannerClient {
       config = await fetchJSON<BannerConfig>(configUrl);
     } catch {
       this.startDetector();
+      this.observer = observeAndActivate({}, {});
+      getConsent()._setReady({}, false);
       return;
     }
     this.bannerConfig = config;
diff --git a/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/gcm.ts b/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/gcm.ts
index 6d8e3fdae..cec93d8f1 100644
--- a/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/gcm.ts
+++ b/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/gcm.ts
@@ -22,14 +22,16 @@ export class GoogleConsentModeIntegration implements ConsentIntegration {
     );
   }
 
-  private getConsentFn(): ((...args: unknown[]) => void) | null {
+  private getConsentFn(): (...args: unknown[]) => void {
     const w = window as unknown as Record<string, unknown>;
 
     if (typeof w.gtag === "function") {
       return w.gtag as (...args: unknown[]) => void;
     }
 
-    if (!Array.isArray(w.dataLayer)) return null;
+    if (!Array.isArray(w.dataLayer)) {
+      w.dataLayer = [];
+    }
 
     const dataLayer = w.dataLayer as unknown[];
     return function () {
@@ -37,11 +39,23 @@ export class GoogleConsentModeIntegration implements ConsentIntegration {
     };
   }
 
+  bootstrap(): void {
+    const consentFn = this.getConsentFn();
+    consentFn("consent", "default", {
+      ad_storage: "denied",
+      ad_user_data: "denied",
+      ad_personalization: "denied",
+      analytics_storage: "denied",
+      functionality_storage: "denied",
+      personalization_storage: "denied",
+      security_storage: "denied",
+    });
+  }
+
   setDefaults(categories: Category[]): void {
     if (!this.hasMapping(categories)) return;
 
     const consentFn = this.getConsentFn();
-    if (!consentFn) return;
 
     const defaults: Record<string, string> = {};
     for (const cat of categories) {
@@ -63,7 +77,6 @@ export class GoogleConsentModeIntegration implements ConsentIntegration {
     if (!this.hasMapping(categories)) return;
 
     const consentFn = this.getConsentFn();
-    if (!consentFn) return;
 
     const update: Record<string, string> = {};
     for (const cat of categories) {
diff --git a/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/index.ts b/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/index.ts
index b02263190..2c4b1ac60 100644
--- a/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/index.ts
@@ -14,15 +14,12 @@
 
 export type { ConsentIntegration } from "./integration";
 export { GoogleConsentModeIntegration } from "./gcm";
-export { PostHogIntegration } from "./posthog";
 
 import type { ConsentIntegration } from "./integration";
 import { GoogleConsentModeIntegration } from "./gcm";
-import { PostHogIntegration } from "./posthog";
 
 export function createDefaultIntegrations(): ConsentIntegration[] {
   return [
     new GoogleConsentModeIntegration(),
-    new PostHogIntegration(),
   ];
 }
diff --git a/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/integration.ts b/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/integration.ts
index 6e773601f..1d73469a6 100644
--- a/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/integration.ts
+++ b/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/integration.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 import type { Category } from "../types";
 
 export interface ConsentIntegration {
+  /** Called eagerly before config fetch to deny all tracking by default. */
+  bootstrap(): void;
+
   /** Called once after config is loaded, before any consent is applied. */
   setDefaults(categories: Category[]): void;
 
diff --git a/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/posthog.ts b/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/posthog.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f12b1dd1d..000000000
--- a/packages/cookie-banner/src/integrations/posthog.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,69 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2026 Probo Inc <hello@getprobo.com>.
-//
-// Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any
-// purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
-// copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
-//
-// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH
-// REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
-// AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT,
-// INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM
-// LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR
-// OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
-// PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
-
-import type { Category } from "../types";
-import type { ConsentIntegration } from "./integration";
-
-interface PostHogInstance {
-  opt_in_capturing: () => void;
-  opt_out_capturing: () => void;
-}
-
-export class PostHogIntegration implements ConsentIntegration {
-  private hasMapping(categories: Category[]): boolean {
-    return categories.some((cat) => cat.posthog_consent);
-  }
-
-  private getPostHog(): PostHogInstance | null {
-    const w = window as unknown as Record<string, unknown>;
-    const posthog = w.posthog as (PostHogInstance & Record<string, unknown>) | undefined;
-    if (
-      !posthog ||
-      typeof posthog.opt_in_capturing !== "function" ||
-      typeof posthog.opt_out_capturing !== "function"
-    ) {
-      return null;
-    }
-    return posthog;
-  }
-
-  setDefaults(categories: Category[]): void {
-    if (!this.hasMapping(categories)) return;
-
-    const posthog = this.getPostHog();
-    if (!posthog) return;
-
-    posthog.opt_out_capturing();
-  }
-
-  update(
-    categories: Category[],
-    consentData: Record<string, boolean>,
-  ): void {
-    if (!this.hasMapping(categories)) return;
-
-    const posthog = this.getPostHog();
-    if (!posthog) return;
-
-    const granted = categories
-      .filter((cat) => cat.posthog_consent)
-      .every((cat) => !!consentData[cat.slug]);
-
-    if (granted) {
-      posthog.opt_in_capturing();
-    } else {
-      posthog.opt_out_capturing();
-    }
-  }
-}