diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml
index e02b0c80df0..0b9e3002fb6 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml
@@ -3227,7 +3227,7 @@ ANY <replaceable class="parameter">num_sync</replaceable> ( <replaceable class="
        <para>
         Specifies whether or not you can connect and run queries during
         recovery, as described in <xref linkend="hot-standby">.
-        The default value is <literal>off</literal>.
+        The default value is <literal>on</literal>.
         This parameter can only be set at server start. It only has effect
         during archive recovery or in standby mode.
        </para>
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/high-availability.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/high-availability.sgml
index 9e2be5f67ca..22ac10f4284 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/high-availability.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/high-availability.sgml
@@ -2057,8 +2057,8 @@ if (!triggered)
    <title>Administrator's Overview</title>
 
    <para>
-    If <varname>hot_standby</> is turned <literal>on</> in
-    <filename>postgresql.conf</> and there is a <filename>recovery.conf</>
+    If <varname>hot_standby</> is <literal>on</> in <filename>postgresql.conf</>
+    (the default value) and there is a <filename>recovery.conf</>
     file present, the server will run in Hot Standby mode.
     However, it may take some time for Hot Standby connections to be allowed,
     because the server will not accept connections until it has completed
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c b/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
index a414fb2c767..587fbce147f 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
@@ -1571,7 +1571,7 @@ static struct config_bool ConfigureNamesBool[] =
 			NULL
 		},
 		&EnableHotStandby,
-		false,
+		true,
 		NULL, NULL, NULL
 	},
 
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample b/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample
index c02f7f36456..fceef14c78a 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample
+++ b/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@
 
 # These settings are ignored on a master server.
 
-#hot_standby = off			# "on" allows queries during recovery
+#hot_standby = on			# "off" disallows queries during recovery
 					# (change requires restart)
 #max_standby_archive_delay = 30s	# max delay before canceling queries
 					# when reading WAL from archive;