diff --git a/doc/api/dns.md b/doc/api/dns.md
index af9bb60967e56c..2087715cbeb039 100644
--- a/doc/api/dns.md
+++ b/doc/api/dns.md
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ section if a custom port is used.
 <!-- YAML
 added: v0.1.90
 changes:
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37681
+    description: The `verbatim` options defaults to `true` now.
   - version: v8.5.0
     pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/14731
     description: The `verbatim` option is supported now.
@@ -190,10 +193,9 @@ changes:
   * `verbatim` {boolean} When `true`, the callback receives IPv4 and IPv6
     addresses in the order the DNS resolver returned them. When `false`,
     IPv4 addresses are placed before IPv6 addresses.
-    **Default:** currently `false` (addresses are reordered) but this is
-    expected to change in the not too distant future. Default value is
+    **Default:** `true` (addresses are reordered). Default value is
     configurable using [`dns.setDefaultResultOrder()`][] or
-    [`--dns-result-order`][]. New code should use `{ verbatim: true }`.
+    [`--dns-result-order`][].
 * `callback` {Function}
   * `err` {Error}
   * `address` {string} A string representation of an IPv4 or IPv6 address.
diff --git a/lib/internal/dns/utils.js b/lib/internal/dns/utils.js
index f15f8c7a779ce1..e73300e00049e3 100644
--- a/lib/internal/dns/utils.js
+++ b/lib/internal/dns/utils.js
@@ -193,15 +193,16 @@ function emitInvalidHostnameWarning(hostname) {
   );
 }
 
-let dnsOrder = getOptionValue('--dns-result-order') || 'ipv4first';
+let dnsOrder = getOptionValue('--dns-result-order') || 'verbatim';
 
 function getDefaultVerbatim() {
   switch (dnsOrder) {
     case 'verbatim':
       return true;
     case 'ipv4first':
-    default:
       return false;
+    default:
+      return true;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/test/sequential/test-net-better-error-messages-port.js b/test/sequential/test-net-better-error-messages-port.js
index 789b2e31801da1..c21427ee395139 100644
--- a/test/sequential/test-net-better-error-messages-port.js
+++ b/test/sequential/test-net-better-error-messages-port.js
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ c.on('connect', common.mustNotCall());
 c.on('error', common.mustCall(function(e) {
   assert.strictEqual(e.code, 'ECONNREFUSED');
   assert.strictEqual(e.port, common.PORT);
-  assert.strictEqual(e.address, '127.0.0.1');
+  assert.match(e.address, /^(127\.0\.0\.1|::1)$/);
 }));