diff --git a/src/common/engine/m_joy.cpp b/src/common/engine/m_joy.cpp
index 1e4b2f3e0..fe9e9e589 100644
--- a/src/common/engine/m_joy.cpp
+++ b/src/common/engine/m_joy.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, joy_xinput)
 
 // PUBLIC DATA DEFINITIONS -------------------------------------------------
 
-CUSTOM_CVARD(Bool, use_joystick, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG|CVAR_NOINITCALL, "enables input from the joystick if it is present") 
+CUSTOM_CVARD(Bool, use_joystick, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG|CVAR_NOINITCALL, "enables input from the joystick if it is present")
 {
 #ifdef _WIN32
 	joy_ps2raw->Callback();