diff --git a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/system_variables.go b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/system_variables.go
index 61c406cf9a6..99e6c2f5a9b 100644
--- a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/system_variables.go
+++ b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/system_variables.go
@@ -212,11 +212,11 @@ var DoltSystemVariables = []sql.SystemVariable{
 		Default: int8(0),
 	},
 	&sql.MysqlSystemVariable{
-		Name:    "dolt_dont_optimize_json",
+		Name:    "dolt_optimize_json",
 		Dynamic: true,
 		Scope:   sql.GetMysqlScope(sql.SystemVariableScope_Both),
-		Type:    types.NewSystemBoolType("dolt_dont_optimize_json"),
-		Default: int8(0),
+		Type:    types.NewSystemBoolType("dolt_optimize_json"),
+		Default: int8(1),
 	},
 	&sql.MysqlSystemVariable{
 		Name:    dsess.DoltStatsAutoRefreshEnabled,
diff --git a/go/store/prolly/tree/prolly_fields.go b/go/store/prolly/tree/prolly_fields.go
index e5932398764..4e00c434b27 100644
--- a/go/store/prolly/tree/prolly_fields.go
+++ b/go/store/prolly/tree/prolly_fields.go
@@ -310,11 +310,11 @@ func getJSONAddrHash(ctx context.Context, ns NodeStore, v interface{}) (hash.Has
 	}
 	sqlCtx, isSqlCtx := ctx.(*sql.Context)
 	if isSqlCtx {
-		dontOptimizeJson, err := sqlCtx.Session.GetSessionVariable(sqlCtx, "dolt_dont_optimize_json")
+		dontOptimizeJson, err := sqlCtx.Session.GetSessionVariable(sqlCtx, "dolt_optimize_json")
 		if err != nil {
 			return hash.Hash{}, err
 		}
-		if dontOptimizeJson != 0 {
+		if dontOptimizeJson == uint8(0) {
 			buf, err := types.MarshallJson(j)
 			if err != nil {
 				return hash.Hash{}, err
diff --git a/integration-tests/bats/json.bats b/integration-tests/bats/json.bats
index f5800166901..a9ed1a5a4f9 100644
--- a/integration-tests/bats/json.bats
+++ b/integration-tests/bats/json.bats
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ SQL
 # We expect that the document gets stored as a blob.
 @test "json: Test dolt_dont_optimize_json system variable" {
     run dolt sql <<SQL
-    set @@dolt_dont_optimize_json = 1;
+    set @@dolt_optimize_json = 0;
     CREATE TABLE js (
         pk int PRIMARY KEY,
         js json