diff --git a/cmd/tailscale/cli/set.go b/cmd/tailscale/cli/set.go
index e8e5f0c51..292bfef9b 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscale/cli/set.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscale/cli/set.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func newSetFlagSet(goos string, setArgs *setArgsT) *flag.FlagSet {
 
 	setf.StringVar(&setArgs.profileName, "nickname", "", "nickname for the current account")
 	setf.BoolVar(&setArgs.acceptRoutes, "accept-routes", false, "accept routes advertised by other Tailscale nodes")
-	setf.BoolVar(&setArgs.acceptDNS, "accept-dns", false, "accept DNS configuration from the admin panel")
+	setf.BoolVar(&setArgs.acceptDNS, "accept-dns", true, "accept DNS configuration from the admin panel")
 	setf.StringVar(&setArgs.exitNodeIP, "exit-node", "", "Tailscale exit node (IP or base name) for internet traffic, or empty string to not use an exit node")
 	setf.BoolVar(&setArgs.exitNodeAllowLANAccess, "exit-node-allow-lan-access", false, "Allow direct access to the local network when routing traffic via an exit node")
 	setf.BoolVar(&setArgs.shieldsUp, "shields-up", false, "don't allow incoming connections")
diff --git a/cmd/tailscale/cli/set_test.go b/cmd/tailscale/cli/set_test.go
index 15305c3ce..a2f211f8c 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscale/cli/set_test.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscale/cli/set_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"net/netip"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
@@ -129,3 +130,24 @@ func TestCalcAdvertiseRoutesForSet(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// TestSetDefaultsMatchUpDefaults is meant to ensure that the default values
+// for `tailscale set` and `tailscale up` are the same.
+// Since `tailscale set` only sets preferences that are explicitly mentioned,
+// the default values for its flags are only used for `--help` documentation.
+func TestSetDefaultsMatchUpDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	upFlagSet.VisitAll(func(up *flag.Flag) {
+		if preflessFlag(up.Name) {
+			return
+		}
+
+		set := setFlagSet.Lookup(up.Name)
+		if set == nil {
+			return
+		}
+
+		if set.DefValue != up.DefValue {
+			t.Errorf("--%s: set defaults to %q, but up defaults to %q", up.Name, set.DefValue, up.DefValue)
+		}
+	})
+}