diff --git a/spec/atom-spec.coffee b/spec/atom-spec.coffee
index 19a2cca5c..a293edccd 100644
--- a/spec/atom-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom-spec.coffee
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ describe "the `atom` global", ->
   describe "loading default config", ->
     it 'loads the default core config', ->
       expect(atom.config.get('core.excludeVcsIgnoredPaths')).toBe true
-      expect(atom.config.get('core.followSymlinks')).toBe false
+      expect(atom.config.get('core.followSymlinks')).toBe true
       expect(atom.config.get('editor.showInvisibles')).toBe false
 
   describe "window onerror handler", ->
diff --git a/src/config-schema.coffee b/src/config-schema.coffee
index 87e1040bc..ba8150a26 100644
--- a/src/config-schema.coffee
+++ b/src/config-schema.coffee
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ module.exports =
         title: 'Exclude VCS Ignored Paths'
       followSymlinks:
         type: 'boolean'
-        default: false
+        default: true
         title: 'Follow symlinks'
         description: 'Used when searching and when opening files with the fuzzy finder.'
       disabledPackages: