diff --git a/config/set/php81.php b/config/set/php81.php
index 5a08ab3fdfd..2f83cb1f147 100644
--- a/config/set/php81.php
+++ b/config/set/php81.php
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 use Rector\Php81\Rector\Class_\MyCLabsClassToEnumRector;
 use Rector\Php81\Rector\Class_\SpatieEnumClassToEnumRector;
 use Rector\Php81\Rector\FuncCall\NullToStrictIntPregSlitFuncCallLimitArgRector;
-use Rector\Php81\Rector\FuncCall\NullToStrictStringFuncCallArgRector;
 use Rector\Php81\Rector\MethodCall\MyCLabsMethodCallToEnumConstRector;
 use Rector\Php81\Rector\MethodCall\RemoveReflectionSetAccessibleCallsRector;
 use Rector\Php81\Rector\MethodCall\SpatieEnumMethodCallToEnumConstRector;
@@ -28,7 +27,6 @@
         ReadOnlyPropertyRector::class,
         SpatieEnumClassToEnumRector::class,
         SpatieEnumMethodCallToEnumConstRector::class,
-        NullToStrictStringFuncCallArgRector::class,
         NullToStrictIntPregSlitFuncCallLimitArgRector::class,
 
         ArrayToFirstClassCallableRector::class,
diff --git a/phpstan.neon b/phpstan.neon
index 0539471c0aa..24654e6061d 100644
--- a/phpstan.neon
+++ b/phpstan.neon
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ parameters:
                 - src/Console/Notifier.php
                 - src/Util/FileHasher.php
 
+        # deliberately kept out of the php81 set, as it fires too often to be applied by default;
+        # it stays available to register directly with withRules()
+        -
+            identifier: rector.upgradeDowngradeRegisteredInSet
+            path: rules/Php81/Rector/FuncCall/NullToStrictStringFuncCallArgRector.php
+
         # is nested expr
         -
             message: '#Access to an undefined property PhpParser\\Node\\Expr\:\:\$expr#'