diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/buildtool/BuildRequestOptions.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/buildtool/BuildRequestOptions.java
index c2bca692badac8..86b8f4569055d7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/buildtool/BuildRequestOptions.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/buildtool/BuildRequestOptions.java
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public class BuildRequestOptions extends OptionsBase {
 
   @Option(
       name = "experimental_use_semaphore_for_jobs",
-      defaultValue = "false",
+      defaultValue = "true",
       documentationCategory = OptionDocumentationCategory.EXECUTION_STRATEGY,
       effectTags = {OptionEffectTag.HOST_MACHINE_RESOURCE_OPTIMIZATIONS, OptionEffectTag.EXECUTION},
       help = "If set to true, additionally use semaphore to limit number of concurrent jobs.")
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/skyframe/rewinding/RewindingTestsHelper.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/skyframe/rewinding/RewindingTestsHelper.java
index 4d099b17ea5a0e..3682b276daea24 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/skyframe/rewinding/RewindingTestsHelper.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/skyframe/rewinding/RewindingTestsHelper.java
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ private void writeNGenrulePackages(int n) throws IOException {
    */
   public final void runMultipleLostInputsForRewindPlan() throws Exception {
     if (!supportsConcurrentRewinding()) {
-      testCase.addOptions("--jobs=1", "--experimental_use_semaphore_for_jobs");
+      testCase.addOptions("--jobs=1");
     }
     writeNGenrulePackages(ActionRewindStrategy.MAX_ACTION_REWIND_EVENTS + 1);
     for (int i = 1; i <= ActionRewindStrategy.MAX_ACTION_REWIND_EVENTS + 1; i++) {
diff --git a/src/test/shell/bazel/bazel_test_test.sh b/src/test/shell/bazel/bazel_test_test.sh
index b80f8df2e6aaea..c017bea9b35794 100755
--- a/src/test/shell/bazel/bazel_test_test.sh
+++ b/src/test/shell/bazel/bazel_test_test.sh
@@ -401,7 +401,6 @@ sh_test(name = "test$i", srcs = [ "test$i.sh" ])
 EOF
     bazel test --spawn_strategy=standalone \
         --jobs=1 \
-        --experimental_use_semaphore_for_jobs \
         --runs_per_test=5 \
         --runs_per_test_detects_flakes \
         //:test$i &> $TEST_log || fail "should have succeeded"
diff --git a/src/test/shell/integration/bazel_testjobs_test.sh b/src/test/shell/integration/bazel_testjobs_test.sh
index 0165b5f5aab149..880c3ce3d52532 100755
--- a/src/test/shell/integration/bazel_testjobs_test.sh
+++ b/src/test/shell/integration/bazel_testjobs_test.sh
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ function test_no_local_test_jobs_causes_local_resources_to_constrain_test_execut
 function test_local_test_jobs_exceeds_jobs_causes_warning() {
   create_test_files
   # 10 local test jobs, but only 3 jobs, so warning is printed, and only 3 tests run concurrently
-  bazel test --jobs=3 --experimental_use_semaphore_for_jobs --local_test_jobs=10 --local_cpu_resources=10 \
+  bazel test --jobs=3 --local_test_jobs=10 --local_cpu_resources=10 \
   --runs_per_test=10 //dir:test >& $TEST_log || fail "Expected success"
 
   expect_log 'High value for --local_test_jobs'