diff --git a/include/ntfs-3g/param.h b/include/ntfs-3g/param.h
index 4480eea8..5d96b1c2 100644
--- a/include/ntfs-3g/param.h
+++ b/include/ntfs-3g/param.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ enum {
  */
 
 	/* default option for compression */
-#define DEFAULT_COMPRESSION FALSE
+#define DEFAULT_COMPRESSION 1
 	/* (log2 of) number of clusters in a compression block for new files */
 #define STANDARD_COMPRESSION_UNIT 4
 	/* maximum cluster size for allowing compression for new files */
diff --git a/libntfs-3g/volume.c b/libntfs-3g/volume.c
index ae7dee8c..a18109f1 100644
--- a/libntfs-3g/volume.c
+++ b/libntfs-3g/volume.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
 #include <locale.h>
 #endif
 
+#include "param.h"
 #include "compat.h"
 #include "volume.h"
 #include "attrib.h"
@@ -501,6 +502,12 @@ ntfs_volume *ntfs_volume_startup(struct ntfs_device *dev, unsigned long flags)
 	NVolSetShowSysFiles(vol);
 	NVolSetShowHidFiles(vol);
 	NVolClearHideDotFiles(vol);
+		/* set default compression */
+#if DEFAULT_COMPRESSION
+	NVolSetCompression(vol);
+#else
+	NVolClearCompression(vol);
+#endif
 	if (flags & MS_RDONLY)
 		NVolSetReadOnly(vol);
 	
diff --git a/src/lowntfs-3g.c b/src/lowntfs-3g.c
index 603ec823..a281da6f 100644
--- a/src/lowntfs-3g.c
+++ b/src/lowntfs-3g.c
@@ -3433,6 +3433,8 @@ static int ntfs_open(const char *device)
 		NDevSetSync(ctx->vol->dev);
 	if (ctx->compression)
 		NVolSetCompression(ctx->vol);
+	else
+		NVolClearCompression(ctx->vol);
 #ifdef HAVE_SETXATTR
 			/* archivers must see hidden files */
 	if (ctx->efs_raw)
diff --git a/src/ntfs-3g.c b/src/ntfs-3g.c
index 73392483..8919761d 100644
--- a/src/ntfs-3g.c
+++ b/src/ntfs-3g.c
@@ -3350,6 +3350,8 @@ static int ntfs_open(const char *device)
 		NDevSetSync(ctx->vol->dev);
 	if (ctx->compression)
 		NVolSetCompression(ctx->vol);
+	else
+		NVolClearCompression(ctx->vol);
 #ifdef HAVE_SETXATTR
 			/* archivers must see hidden files */
 	if (ctx->efs_raw)