diff --git a/docs/src/releasenotes.md b/docs/src/releasenotes.md
index 1bcc184e..4d389e8e 100644
--- a/docs/src/releasenotes.md
+++ b/docs/src/releasenotes.md
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 # Release Notes
 
 ## Unreleased
-* JuliaCall now supports `-X juliacall-startup-file=no` to disable running startup.jl.
+* JuliaCall now supports `-X juliacall-startup-file=yes` to *enable* running startup.jl.
+  Previous versions enabled it by default like Julia does. When Julia is the main language,
+  i.e. PythonCall.jl used, Julia's default is still used, i.e. using the startup.jl file,
+  but that can be disabled with `julia --startup-file=no`.
 
 ## 0.9.14 (2023-07-26)
 * Wrapped Julia values support truthiness (`__bool__`) better: all values are true, except
diff --git a/pysrc/juliacall/__init__.py b/pysrc/juliacall/__init__.py
index b48e9959..a349d30b 100644
--- a/pysrc/juliacall/__init__.py
+++ b/pysrc/juliacall/__init__.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def args_from_config():
     CONFIG['opt_threads'] = int_option('threads', accept_auto=True)[0]
     CONFIG['opt_warn_overwrite'] = choice('warn_overwrite', ['yes', 'no'])[0]
     CONFIG['opt_handle_signals'] = choice('handle_signals', ['yes', 'no'], default='no')[0]
-    CONFIG['opt_startup_file'] = choice('startup_file', ['yes', 'no'])[0]
+    CONFIG['opt_startup_file'] = choice('startup_file', ['yes', 'no'], default='no')[0]
 
     # Stop if we already initialised
     if CONFIG['inited']: