I'm fine with it as it is, at least without the option to ask a DM if I can roll an active perception, religion or whatever check. I think I'd find that lack irritating if I didn't get some reassurance that my party were trying to investigate the environment, even if they didn't notice anything interesting. I personally don't reload if I fail checks.
I agree those rolls are a bit of a weird hybrid of passive and active checks, but think it's s reasonable compromise rather than adding the complexity of being able to choose to make active rolls at any point.
