diff --git a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/api/v0/openapi.yaml b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/api/v0/openapi.yaml
index db776ec458d3..fd5a04ff371b 100644
--- a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/api/v0/openapi.yaml
+++ b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/api/v0/openapi.yaml
@@ -4338,7 +4338,7 @@ paths:
         '403':
           description: ProjectInvalidRightsError
         '404':
-          description: ProjectNotFoundError, UserDefaultWalletNotFoundError
+          description: UserDefaultWalletNotFoundError, ProjectNotFoundError
         '409':
           description: ProjectTooManyProjectOpenedError
         '422':
@@ -5390,7 +5390,7 @@ paths:
         schema:
           title: Force
           type: boolean
-          default: true
+          default: false
         name: force
         in: query
       responses:
diff --git a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/projects/_common_models.py b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/projects/_common_models.py
index 0ec5dde325a3..073c012a8ac3 100644
--- a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/projects/_common_models.py
+++ b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/projects/_common_models.py
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@ class Config:
 
 class RemoveQueryParams(BaseModel):
     force: bool = Field(
-        default=True, description="Force removal (even if resource is active)"
+        default=False, description="Force removal (even if resource is active)"
     )
diff --git a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/projects/_trash_handlers.py b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/projects/_trash_handlers.py
index f1abc01b1463..30f1e9d134c4 100644
--- a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/projects/_trash_handlers.py
+++ b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/projects/_trash_handlers.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class HttpErrorInfo(NamedTuple):
 _TO_HTTP_ERROR_MAP: dict[type[Exception], HttpErrorInfo] = {
     ProjectRunningConflictError: HttpErrorInfo(
         status.HTTP_409_CONFLICT,
-        "Current study is in use and cannot be trashed [{project_uuid}]",
+        "Current study is in use and cannot be trashed [{project_uuid}]. Please stop all services first and try again",
     ),
     ProjectStopError: HttpErrorInfo(
         status.HTTP_503_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE,