diff --git a/src/common/config.py b/src/common/config.py
index 454b329ec..d02c23565 100644
--- a/src/common/config.py
+++ b/src/common/config.py
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ class Config:
 			'state_muc_directed_msg_color': [ opt_color, 'red2' ],
 		}, {}),
 		'contacts': ({
-			'gpg_enabled': [ opt_bool, True, _('Is OpenPGP enabled for this contact?')],
+			'gpg_enabled': [ opt_bool, False, _('Is OpenPGP enabled for this contact?')],
 			'speller_language': [ opt_str, '', _('Language for which we want to check misspelled words')],
 		}, {}),
 		'rooms': ({