diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 7fe4c2422..642c2912e 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -596,7 +596,9 @@ Note that if a `303` is sent by the server in response to any request type (`POS
 Type: `boolean`\
 Default: `true`
 
-By default, redirects will use [method rewriting](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7231#section-6.4). For example, when sending a POST request and receiving a `302`, it will resend the body to the new location using the same HTTP method (`POST` in this case).
+Specifies if the redirects should be [rewritten as `GET`](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7231#section-6.4).
+
+If `false`, when sending a POST request and receiving a `302`, it will resend the body to the new location using the same HTTP method (`POST` in this case).
 
 ###### allowGetBody
 
diff --git a/source/core/index.ts b/source/core/index.ts
index 75e231395..d3b635c99 100644
--- a/source/core/index.ts
+++ b/source/core/index.ts
@@ -643,10 +643,11 @@ interface PlainOptions extends URLOptions {
 	headers?: Headers;
 
 	/**
-	By default, redirects will use [method rewriting](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7231#section-6.4).
-	For example, when sending a POST request and receiving a `302`, it will resend the body to the new location using the same HTTP method (`POST` in this case).
+	Specifies if the redirects should be [rewritten as `GET`](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7231#section-6.4).
 
-	@default true
+	If `false`, when sending a POST request and receiving a `302`, it will resend the body to the new location using the same HTTP method (`POST` in this case).
+
+	@default false
 	*/
 	methodRewriting?: boolean;
 
@@ -2051,7 +2052,7 @@ export default class Request extends Duplex implements RequestEvents<Request> {
 			}
 
 			const shouldBeGet = statusCode === 303 && options.method !== 'GET' && options.method !== 'HEAD';
-			if (shouldBeGet || !options.methodRewriting) {
+			if (shouldBeGet || options.methodRewriting) {
 				// Server responded with "see other", indicating that the resource exists at another location,
 				// and the client should request it from that location via GET or HEAD.
 				options.method = 'GET';
diff --git a/source/index.ts b/source/index.ts
index 9e9629ca3..42dce9311 100644
--- a/source/index.ts
+++ b/source/index.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ const defaults: InstanceDefaults = {
 		resolveBodyOnly: false,
 		maxRedirects: 10,
 		prefixUrl: '',
-		methodRewriting: true,
+		methodRewriting: false,
 		ignoreInvalidCookies: false,
 		context: {},
 		// TODO: Set this to `true` for Got 13.
diff --git a/test/redirects.ts b/test/redirects.ts
index 8286b8d33..cfe5088d9 100644
--- a/test/redirects.ts
+++ b/test/redirects.ts
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ test('body is passed on POST redirect', withServer, async (t, server, got) => {
 	t.is(body, 'foobar');
 });
 
-test('method rewriting can be turned off', withServer, async (t, server, got) => {
+test('method rewriting', withServer, async (t, server, got) => {
 	server.post('/redirect', (_request, response) => {
 		response.writeHead(302, {
 			location: '/'
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ test('method rewriting can be turned off', withServer, async (t, server, got) =>
 
 	const {body} = await got.post('redirect', {
 		body: 'foobar',
-		methodRewriting: false,
+		methodRewriting: true,
 		hooks: {
 			beforeRedirect: [
 				options => {