diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/resources/core-default.xml b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/resources/core-default.xml
index 1e0e0b9932..38afa607ad 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/resources/core-default.xml
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/resources/core-default.xml
@@ -2188,7 +2188,16 @@
   </description>
 </property>
 
-<!-- Azure file system properties -->
+<property>
+  <name>fs.s3a.downgrade.syncable.exceptions</name>
+  <value>true</value>
+  <description>
+    Warn but continue when applications use Syncable.hsync when writing
+    to S3A.
+  </description>
+</property>
+
+  <!-- Azure file system properties -->
 <property>
   <name>fs.AbstractFileSystem.wasb.impl</name>
   <value>org.apache.hadoop.fs.azure.Wasb</value>
diff --git a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/Constants.java b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/Constants.java
index 56ea7d0006..461fe87d33 100644
--- a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/Constants.java
+++ b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/Constants.java
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ private Constants() {
    * Value: {@value}.
    */
   public static final boolean DOWNGRADE_SYNCABLE_EXCEPTIONS_DEFAULT =
-      false;
+      true;
 
   /**
    * The capacity of executor queues for operations other than block
diff --git a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/site/markdown/tools/hadoop-aws/troubleshooting_s3a.md b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/site/markdown/tools/hadoop-aws/troubleshooting_s3a.md
index 6f55d9effe..d55e522910 100644
--- a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/site/markdown/tools/hadoop-aws/troubleshooting_s3a.md
+++ b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/site/markdown/tools/hadoop-aws/troubleshooting_s3a.md
@@ -924,30 +924,48 @@ connector isn't saving any data at all. The `Syncable` API, especially the
 `hsync()` call, are critical for applications such as HBase to safely
 persist data.
 
-The S3A connector throws an `UnsupportedOperationException` when these API calls
-are made, because the guarantees absolutely cannot be met: nothing is being flushed
-or saved.
+When configured to do so, the S3A connector throws an `UnsupportedOperationException`
+when these API calls are made, because the API guarantees absolutely cannot be met:
+_nothing is being flushed or saved_.
 
-* Applications which intend to invoke the Syncable APIs call `hasCapability("hsync")` on
+* Applications which intend to invoke the Syncable APIs should call `hasCapability("hsync")` on
   the stream to see if they are supported.
 * Or catch and downgrade `UnsupportedOperationException`.
 
-These recommendations _apply to all filesystems_. 
+These recommendations _apply to all filesystems_.
 
-To downgrade the S3A connector to simply warning of the use of
+For consistency with other filesystems, S3A output streams
+do not by default reject the `Syncable` calls -instead
+they print a warning of its use.
+
+
+The count of invocations of the two APIs are collected in the S3A filesystem
+Statistics/IOStatistics and so their use can be monitored.
+
+To switch the S3A connector to rejecting all use of
 `hsync()` or `hflush()` calls, set the option
-`fs.s3a.downgrade.syncable.exceptions` to true.
+`fs.s3a.downgrade.syncable.exceptions` to `false`.
 
 ```xml
 <property>
   <name>fs.s3a.downgrade.syncable.exceptions</name>
-  <value>true</value>
+  <value>false</value>
 </property>
 ```
 
-The count of invocations of the two APIs are collected
-in the S3A filesystem Statistics/IOStatistics and so
-their use can be monitored.
+Regardless of the setting, the `Syncable` API calls do not work.
+Telling the store to *not* downgrade the calls is a way to
+1. Prevent applications which require Syncable to work from being deployed
+  against S3.
+2. Identify applications which are making the calls even though they don't
+  need to. These applications can then be fixed -something which may take
+  time.
+
+Put differently: it is safest to disable downgrading syncable exceptions.
+However, enabling the downgrade stops applications unintentionally using the API
+from breaking.
+
+*Tip*: try turning it on in staging environments to see what breaks.
 
 ### `RemoteFileChangedException` and read-during-overwrite
 
diff --git a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/TestS3ABlockOutputStream.java b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/TestS3ABlockOutputStream.java
index 9ae24c19f3..21f268dfb2 100644
--- a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/TestS3ABlockOutputStream.java
+++ b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/TestS3ABlockOutputStream.java
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ public void testCallingCloseAfterCallingAbort() throws Exception {
    */
   @Test
   public void testSyncableUnsupported() throws Exception {
+    final S3ABlockOutputStream.BlockOutputStreamBuilder
+        builder = mockS3ABuilder();
+    builder.withDowngradeSyncableExceptions(false);
+    stream = spy(new S3ABlockOutputStream(builder));
     intercept(UnsupportedOperationException.class, () -> stream.hflush());
     intercept(UnsupportedOperationException.class, () -> stream.hsync());
   }