diff --git a/man/logind.conf.xml b/man/logind.conf.xml
index 3cde2671198..94376656d5e 100644
--- a/man/logind.conf.xml
+++ b/man/logind.conf.xml
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@
         <varname>TasksMax=</varname> setting of the per-user slice
         unit, see
         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.resource-control</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
-        for details.</para></listitem>
+        for details. Defaults to 4096.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
diff --git a/src/login/logind.c b/src/login/logind.c
index c3a2fb5acd8..7b41174c64b 100644
--- a/src/login/logind.c
+++ b/src/login/logind.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ static Manager *manager_new(void) {
         m->idle_action_not_before_usec = now(CLOCK_MONOTONIC);
 
         m->runtime_dir_size = PAGE_ALIGN((size_t) (physical_memory() / 10)); /* 10% */
-        m->user_tasks_max = (uint64_t) -1;
+        m->user_tasks_max = UINT64_C(4096);
 
         m->devices = hashmap_new(&string_hash_ops);
         m->seats = hashmap_new(&string_hash_ops);
diff --git a/src/login/logind.conf b/src/login/logind.conf
index e8f14877347..81f6695434a 100644
--- a/src/login/logind.conf
+++ b/src/login/logind.conf
@@ -32,4 +32,4 @@
 #IdleActionSec=30min
 #RuntimeDirectorySize=10%
 #RemoveIPC=yes
-#UserTasksMax=
+#UserTasksMax=4096