diff --git a/doc/src/pair_modify.rst b/doc/src/pair_modify.rst
index e843acee16..a0161b35e5 100644
--- a/doc/src/pair_modify.rst
+++ b/doc/src/pair_modify.rst
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ Default
 """""""
 
 The option defaults are mix = geometric, shift = no, table = 12,
-tabinner = sqrt(2.0), tail = no, compute = yes, and neigh/trim no.
+tabinner = sqrt(2.0), tail = no, compute = yes, and neigh/trim yes.
 
 Note that some pair styles perform mixing, but only a certain style of
 mixing.  See the doc pages for individual pair styles for details.
diff --git a/src/pair.cpp b/src/pair.cpp
index ff56cf4967..4d42035fd1 100644
--- a/src/pair.cpp
+++ b/src/pair.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ Pair::Pair(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
   tabinner_disp = sqrt(2.0);
   ftable = nullptr;
   fdisptable = nullptr;
-  trim_flag = 0;
+  trim_flag = 1;
 
   allocated = 0;
   suffix_flag = Suffix::NONE;