diff --git a/libs/pageserver_api/src/config.rs b/libs/pageserver_api/src/config.rs
index 2d7a06a72f..1ecc17e04b 100644
--- a/libs/pageserver_api/src/config.rs
+++ b/libs/pageserver_api/src/config.rs
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@ pub mod tenant_conf_defaults {
     // By default ingest enough WAL for two new L0 layers before checking if new image
     // image layers should be created.
     pub const DEFAULT_IMAGE_LAYER_CREATION_CHECK_THRESHOLD: u8 = 2;
-    pub const DEFAULT_GC_COMPACTION_ENABLED: bool = false;
+    pub const DEFAULT_GC_COMPACTION_ENABLED: bool = true;
     pub const DEFAULT_GC_COMPACTION_VERIFICATION: bool = true;
     pub const DEFAULT_GC_COMPACTION_INITIAL_THRESHOLD_KB: u64 = 5 * 1024 * 1024; // 5GB
     pub const DEFAULT_GC_COMPACTION_RATIO_PERCENT: u64 = 100;
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_attach_tenant_config.py b/test_runner/regress/test_attach_tenant_config.py
index dc44fc77db..7788faceb4 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_attach_tenant_config.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_attach_tenant_config.py
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ def test_fully_custom_config(positive_env: NeonEnv):
         "timeline_offloading": False,
         "rel_size_v2_enabled": True,
         "relsize_snapshot_cache_capacity": 10000,
-        "gc_compaction_enabled": True,
+        "gc_compaction_enabled": False,
         "gc_compaction_verification": False,
         "gc_compaction_initial_threshold_kb": 1024000,
         "gc_compaction_ratio_percent": 200,