diff --git a/doc/man/taskrc.5.in b/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
index d75f18925..9f271d870 100644
--- a/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
+++ b/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
@@ -347,9 +347,9 @@ names you have used, or just the ones used in active tasks.  The default value i
 "no".
 
 .TP
-.B print.empty.columns=yes
+.B print.empty.columns=no
 May be yes or no, and determines whether columns with no data for any task are
-printed.  Defaults to yes.
+printed.  Defaults to no.
 
 .TP
 .B search.case.sensitive=yes
diff --git a/src/Config.cpp b/src/Config.cpp
index 39e2164f0..b43b9a245 100644
--- a/src/Config.cpp
+++ b/src/Config.cpp
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ std::string Config::_defaults =
   "complete.all.tags=no                           # Include old tag names in '_ags' command\n"
   "list.all.projects=no                           # Include old project names in 'projects' command\n"
   "list.all.tags=no                               # Include old tag names in 'tags' command\n"
-  "print.empty.columns=yes                        # Print columns which have no data for any task\n"
+  "print.empty.columns=no                         # Print columns which have no data for any task\n"
   "debug=no                                       # Display diagnostics\n"
   "extensions=off                                 # Extension system master switch\n"
   "fontunderline=yes                              # Uses underlines rather than -------\n"
diff --git a/test/bug.455.t b/test/bug.455.t
index df74e38eb..a27488cbc 100755
--- a/test/bug.455.t
+++ b/test/bug.455.t
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ use Test::More tests => 4;
 if (open my $fh, '>', '455.rc')
 {
   print $fh "data.location=.\n";
+  print $fh "print.empty.columns=yes\n";
 
   close $fh;
   ok (-r '455.rc', 'Created 455.rc');
diff --git a/test/bug.804.t b/test/bug.804.t
index f5f1b0e62..c1f6c4d35 100755
--- a/test/bug.804.t
+++ b/test/bug.804.t
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'bug.rc')
   print $fh "data.location=.\n";
   print $fh "bulk=100\n";
   print $fh "confirmation=no\n";
+  print $fh "print.empty.columns=yes\n";
   close $fh;
   ok (-r 'bug.rc', 'Created bug.rc');
 }
diff --git a/test/feature.print.empty.columns.t b/test/feature.print.empty.columns.t
index ddcd947ab..eed9d4fc1 100755
--- a/test/feature.print.empty.columns.t
+++ b/test/feature.print.empty.columns.t
@@ -44,16 +44,16 @@ qx{../src/task rc:bug.rc add sample desc 2>&1};
 qx{../src/task rc:bug.rc add withP project:house 2>&1};
 
 my $output = qx{../src/task test sample rc:bug.rc 2>&1};
-like ($output, qr/Project/, 'empty \'project\' column is printed by default');
+unlike ($output, qr/Project/, 'empty \'project\' column is not printed by default');
 
-$output = qx{../src/task test sample rc.print.empty.columns:no rc:bug.rc 2>&1};
-unlike ($output, qr/Project/, 'empty \'project\' column is not printed if rc.print.empty.columns:no');
+$output = qx{../src/task test sample rc.print.empty.columns:yes rc:bug.rc 2>&1};
+like ($output, qr/Project/, 'empty \'project\' column is printed if rc.print.empty.columns:yes');
 
 $output = qx{../src/task test rc:bug.rc 2>&1};
 like ($output, qr/Project/, 'non-empty \'project\' column is printed by default');
 
-$output = qx{../src/task test rc.print.empty.columns:no rc:bug.rc 2>&1};
-like ($output, qr/Project/, 'non-empty \'project\' column is printed if rc.print.empty.columns:no');
+$output = qx{../src/task test rc.print.empty.columns:yes rc:bug.rc 2>&1};
+like ($output, qr/Project/, 'non-empty \'project\' column is printed if rc.print.empty.columns:yes');
 
 # Cleanup.
 unlink qw(pending.data completed.data undo.data backlog.data synch.key bug.rc);
diff --git a/test/verbose.t b/test/verbose.t
index fec2ccf26..e6a9805c7 100755
--- a/test/verbose.t
+++ b/test/verbose.t
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'verbose.rc')
 {
   print $fh "data.location=.\n",
             "echo.command=off\n";
+  print $fh "print.empty.columns=yes\n";
   close $fh;
   ok (-r 'verbose.rc', 'Created verbose.rc');
 }