diff --git a/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/dev_test.go b/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/dev_test.go
index f70f66e04e4..b163702561a 100644
--- a/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/dev_test.go
+++ b/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/dev_test.go
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func TestNewCmdDev(t *testing.T) {
 		cmd.Execute()
 
 		t.CheckDeepEqual(true, opts.Tail)
-		t.CheckDeepEqual(true, opts.Force)
+		t.CheckDeepEqual(false, opts.Force)
 		t.CheckDeepEqual(true, opts.EnableRPC)
 	})
 }
diff --git a/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/flags.go b/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/flags.go
index c062ee8cbfd..3918036c419 100644
--- a/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/flags.go
@@ -167,13 +167,10 @@ var FlagRegistry = []Flag{
 		DefinedOn:     []string{"dev", "run", "debug", "deploy"},
 	},
 	{
-		Name:     "force",
-		Usage:    "Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime! (true by default for `skaffold dev`)",
-		Value:    &opts.Force,
-		DefValue: false,
-		DefValuePerCommand: map[string]interface{}{
-			"dev": true,
-		},
+		Name:          "force",
+		Usage:         "Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime!",
+		Value:         &opts.Force,
+		DefValue:      false,
 		FlagAddMethod: "BoolVar",
 		DefinedOn:     []string{"deploy", "dev", "run", "debug"},
 	},
diff --git a/docs/content/en/docs/references/cli/_index.md b/docs/content/en/docs/references/cli/_index.md
index 99e20c939d7..a797b542801 100644
--- a/docs/content/en/docs/references/cli/_index.md
+++ b/docs/content/en/docs/references/cli/_index.md
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ Options:
   -d, --default-repo='': Default repository value (overrides global config)
       --enable-rpc=false: Enable gRPC for exposing Skaffold events (true by default for `skaffold dev`)
   -f, --filename='skaffold.yaml': Path or URL to the Skaffold config file
-      --force=false: Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime! (true by default for `skaffold dev`)
+      --force=false: Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime!
       --insecure-registry=[]: Target registries for built images which are not secure
       --kube-context='': Deploy to this Kubernetes context
       --kubeconfig='': Path to the kubeconfig file to use for CLI requests.
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ Options:
   -d, --default-repo='': Default repository value (overrides global config)
       --enable-rpc=false: Enable gRPC for exposing Skaffold events (true by default for `skaffold dev`)
   -f, --filename='skaffold.yaml': Path or URL to the Skaffold config file
-      --force=false: Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime! (true by default for `skaffold dev`)
+      --force=false: Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime!
   -i, --images=: A list of pre-built images to deploy
       --kube-context='': Deploy to this Kubernetes context
       --kubeconfig='': Path to the kubeconfig file to use for CLI requests.
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ Options:
   -d, --default-repo='': Default repository value (overrides global config)
       --enable-rpc=false: Enable gRPC for exposing Skaffold events (true by default for `skaffold dev`)
   -f, --filename='skaffold.yaml': Path or URL to the Skaffold config file
-      --force=false: Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime! (true by default for `skaffold dev`)
+      --force=false: Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime!
       --insecure-registry=[]: Target registries for built images which are not secure
       --kube-context='': Deploy to this Kubernetes context
       --kubeconfig='': Path to the kubeconfig file to use for CLI requests.
@@ -771,7 +771,7 @@ Options:
   -d, --default-repo='': Default repository value (overrides global config)
       --enable-rpc=false: Enable gRPC for exposing Skaffold events (true by default for `skaffold dev`)
   -f, --filename='skaffold.yaml': Path or URL to the Skaffold config file
-      --force=false: Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime! (true by default for `skaffold dev`)
+      --force=false: Recreate Kubernetes resources if necessary for deployment, warning: might cause downtime!
       --insecure-registry=[]: Target registries for built images which are not secure
       --kube-context='': Deploy to this Kubernetes context
       --kubeconfig='': Path to the kubeconfig file to use for CLI requests.