diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 61c3846d4..d0bdd23e0 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ std::string HelpMessage()
         "  -testnet               " + _("Use the test network") + "\n" +
         "  -debug                 " + _("Output extra debugging information. Implies all other -debug* options") + "\n" +
         "  -debugnet              " + _("Output extra network debugging information") + "\n" +
-        "  -logtimestamps         " + _("Prepend debug output with timestamp") + "\n" +
+        "  -logtimestamps         " + _("Prepend debug output with timestamp (default: 1)") + "\n" +
         "  -shrinkdebugfile       " + _("Shrink debug.log file on client startup (default: 1 when no -debug)") + "\n" +
         "  -printtoconsole        " + _("Send trace/debug info to console instead of debug.log file") + "\n" +
 #ifdef WIN32
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
 #endif
     fPrintToConsole = GetBoolArg("-printtoconsole");
     fPrintToDebugger = GetBoolArg("-printtodebugger");
-    fLogTimestamps = GetBoolArg("-logtimestamps");
+    fLogTimestamps = GetBoolArg("-logtimestamps", true);
 
     if (mapArgs.count("-timeout"))
     {