diff --git a/berkdb/rep/rep_record.c b/berkdb/rep/rep_record.c
index 0b02ce51bd..ba35e1c46e 100644
--- a/berkdb/rep/rep_record.c
+++ b/berkdb/rep/rep_record.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ extern int gbl_is_physical_replicant;
 extern int gbl_dumptxn_at_commit;
 int gbl_rep_badgen_trace;
 int gbl_decoupled_logputs = 1;
-int gbl_inmem_repdb = 1;
+int gbl_inmem_repdb = 0;
 int gbl_max_apply_dequeue = 100000;
 int gbl_master_req_waitms = 200;
 int gbl_fills_waitms = 1000;
diff --git a/db/db_tunables.h b/db/db_tunables.h
index a9fde44b7a..9490a2b6df 100644
--- a/db/db_tunables.h
+++ b/db/db_tunables.h
@@ -1468,7 +1468,7 @@ REGISTER_TUNABLE("net_writer_poll_ms",
                  TUNABLE_INTEGER, &gbl_net_writer_thread_poll_ms,
                  EXPERIMENTAL | INTERNAL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 REGISTER_TUNABLE("inmem_repdb",
-                 "Use in memory structure for repdb (Default: on)",
+                 "Use in memory structure for repdb (Default: off)",
                  TUNABLE_BOOLEAN, &gbl_inmem_repdb,
                  EXPERIMENTAL | INTERNAL | READONLY, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 REGISTER_TUNABLE("inmem_repdb_maxlog",