diff --git a/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1 b/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1
index cec09f8735..39ca6543d6 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1
+++ b/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1
@@ -865,10 +865,12 @@ Enqueue files given on the command line in the playlist instead of playing them
 immediately.
 .
 .TP
-.B \-fixed\-vo
-Enforces a fixed video system for multiple files (one (un)initialization for
-all files).
+.B \-nofixed\-vo
+\-fixed\-vo enforces a fixed video system for multiple files (one
+(un)initialization for all files).
 Therefore only one window will be opened for all files.
+Now enabled by default, use \-nofixed\-vo to disable and create a new window
+whenever the video stream changes.
 Currently the following drivers are fixed-vo compliant: gl, gl2, mga, svga, x11,
 xmga, xv, xvidix and dfbmga.
 .
diff --git a/defaultopts.c b/defaultopts.c
index fb841e64a1..b35601e917 100644
--- a/defaultopts.c
+++ b/defaultopts.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ void set_default_mplayer_options(struct MPOpts *opts)
     *opts = (const struct MPOpts){
         .audio_driver_list = NULL,
         .video_driver_list = NULL,
-        .fixed_vo = 0,
+        .fixed_vo = 1,
         .monitor_pixel_aspect = 1.0,
         .vo_panscanrange = 1.0,
         .vo_gamma_gamma = 1000,