diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/ex/EditorSettingsExternalizable.java b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/ex/EditorSettingsExternalizable.java
index 259746120e1e..88773955bd3a 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/ex/EditorSettingsExternalizable.java
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/ex/EditorSettingsExternalizable.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public class EditorSettingsExternalizable implements NamedJDOMExternalizable, Ex
 
     public boolean IS_BLOCK_CURSOR = false;
     public boolean IS_WHITESPACES_SHOWN = false;
-    public boolean IS_INDENT_GUIDES_SHOWN = false;
+    public boolean IS_INDENT_GUIDES_SHOWN = true;
     public boolean IS_ANIMATED_SCROLLING = true;
     public boolean IS_CAMEL_WORDS = false;
     public boolean ADDITIONAL_PAGE_AT_BOTTOM = false;