But I don't think it is a good idea to change this behavior now: it is not a minor change and could have unintended consequences.

Ah yeah I assumed it would be a minor change.

Like changing HIVE_MAX_SIG_CHECK_DEPTH to 0 or 1.

But I certainly know what it's like to rock the boat and realize you just broke a dozen other things that need fixing.
Thanks for the clarity!
It's surprising how many people on Hive don't realize this is a thing.