A variable geometry turbine comprising a turbine wheel supported in a housing for rotation about a turbine axis with an annular inlet passageway defined between a radial face of a nozzle ring and a facing wall of the housing. The nozzle ring is movable along the turbine axis to vary the width of the inlet passageway and of vanes that are received in corresponding slots in the facing wall. Each vane major surface such that at a predetermined axial position of the nozzle ring relative to the facing wall the recess is in axial alignment with the slot and affords an exhaust gas leakage path through the inlet passageway. The recess is configured to reduce the efficiency of the turbine at small inlet gaps appropriate to engine braking or exhaust gas heating modes.