diff --git a/db-commons/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/db-commons/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index d92cfacc78..65a0e7addb 100644
--- a/db-commons/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/db-commons/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ bitcoin-s {
     #   password = ""
     # }
 
+    # enable peer discovery on the p2p network by default
+    enable-peer-discovery = true
+
     # time interval for trying next set of peers in peer discovery
     try-peers-interval = 1 hour
   }
diff --git a/docs/config/configuration.md b/docs/config/configuration.md
index b07d2aff3c..cf91d0b652 100644
--- a/docs/config/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/config/configuration.md
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ bitcoin-s {
         use-default-peers = true
         
         # try to connect to peers from dns seeds, database, addr messages etc
-        enable-peer-discovery = false
+        enable-peer-discovery = true
         
         # number of persistent peer connections to maintain for node use
         maxConnectedPeers = 1