diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index f19256e6..d2485119 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -1084,7 +1084,7 @@ window option for any windows first created in this session.
 .Xc
 Attempt to set the window title using the \ee]2;...\e007 xterm code and
 the terminal appears to be an xterm.
-This option is enabled by default.
+This option is off by default.
 Note that elinks
 will only attempt to set the window title if the STY environment
 variable is set.
diff --git a/tmux.c b/tmux.c
index 71df2bfb..491e49d4 100644
--- a/tmux.c
+++ b/tmux.c
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	options_set_number(&global_options, "prefix", '\002');
 	options_set_number(&global_options, "repeat-time", 500);
 	options_set_number(&global_options, "set-remain-on-exit", 0);
-	options_set_number(&global_options, "set-titles", 1);
+	options_set_number(&global_options, "set-titles", 0);
 	options_set_number(&global_options, "status", 1);
 	options_set_number(&global_options, "status-attr", GRID_ATTR_REVERSE);
 	options_set_number(&global_options, "status-bg", 2);