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 3dcc7da5243fdc..ae4b74088b754b 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
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ public boolean useTopLevelTargetsForSymlinks() {
 
   @Option(
       name = "incompatible_skip_genfiles_symlink",
-      defaultValue = "false",
+      defaultValue = "true",
       documentationCategory = OptionDocumentationCategory.UNDOCUMENTED,
       metadataTags = {
         OptionMetadataTag.INCOMPATIBLE_CHANGE,
diff --git a/src/test/shell/testenv.sh b/src/test/shell/testenv.sh
index 29a7ae477096b0..f5d93713ed025c 100755
--- a/src/test/shell/testenv.sh
+++ b/src/test/shell/testenv.sh
@@ -287,6 +287,8 @@ common --color=no --curses=no
 # TODO(#7899): Remove once we flip the flag default.
 build --incompatible_use_python_toolchains=true
 
+build --incompatible_skip_genfiles_symlink=false
+
 ${EXTRA_BAZELRC:-}
 EOF