stepped layout option not available after upload to shared space (local is enabled)

I'm not certain this represents the same issue originally posted, but it does seem to be related...

Background:
 - All our Power Bi reports are developed in the desktop app.
 - I use the Matrix visual extensively, sometimes with Stepped Layout "on", sometimes with it "off", depending on the report need.
 - There has been no issue with this functionality until recently, when consumers started 'complaining' that something was changed in a specific report and no one likes this change.
The Issue:

 - There are 2 matrices in this report that specifically have the Stepped Layout option turned "off".  

 - However these matrices now display in the service as though the Stepped Layout is "on".  This is NOT acceptable for this report.
 - I downloaded the PBIX from the service and opened it in the desktop - these matices both display exactly as they should, with the Stepped Layout "off".
 - I deleted the report from the service and republished from the desktop, to no avail.

 - The service does not have an "on/off" setting for Stepped Layout per se.
A Possible (temporary) Solution:

 - With the report open in Edit mode in the Power BI service...
    - Select the matrix visual to be 'fixed'
    - Select Format visual in the Visualizations pane.

    - Open Layout and style presets under the Visual option.

    - Select Tabular under Layout.

The strange thing about this "work-around" is that the Desktop app doesn't seem to have the Layout option under Style presets, so apparently this is another step to be taken after publishing the report to the service.

The other solution I read in this thread seems to show how to change the Style Layout to enhance the look of having Stepped Layout "on" but reading some of the other comments, I thought perhaps the issue is that they were wanting to know how to turn "off" Stepped Layout in a matrix.