diff --git a/doc/extensions/runawayProcessKiller.md b/doc/extensions/runawayProcessKiller.md
index 5b6d045..374f86b 100644
--- a/doc/extensions/runawayProcessKiller.md
+++ b/doc/extensions/runawayProcessKiller.md
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ The extension can be configured via the [XML configuration file](../xmlConfigFil
       -->
       <stopTimeout>5000</stopTimeout>
       <!-- If true, the parent process will be terminated first if the runaway process gets terminated. -->
-      <stopParentFirst>false</stopParentFirst>
+      <stopParentFirst>true</stopParentFirst>
     </extension>
   </extensions>
 </service>
diff --git a/examples/sample-allOptions.xml b/examples/sample-allOptions.xml
index f02ae6a..23a8816 100644
--- a/examples/sample-allOptions.xml
+++ b/examples/sample-allOptions.xml
@@ -136,9 +136,9 @@ SECTION: Executable management
   <!--
     OPTION: stopparentprocessfirst
     If set, WinSW will terminate the parent process before stopping the children.
-    Default value: false
+    Default value: true
   -->
-  <stopparentprocessfirst>false</stopparentprocessfirst>
+  <stopparentprocessfirst>true</stopparentprocessfirst>
   
   
   <!-- 
diff --git a/src/Core/WinSWCore/Configuration/DefaultSettings.cs b/src/Core/WinSWCore/Configuration/DefaultSettings.cs
index 845b505..30a0d38 100644
--- a/src/Core/WinSWCore/Configuration/DefaultSettings.cs
+++ b/src/Core/WinSWCore/Configuration/DefaultSettings.cs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace WinSW.Configuration
 
         public TimeSpan StopTimeout => TimeSpan.FromSeconds(15);
 
-        public bool StopParentProcessFirst => false;
+        public bool StopParentProcessFirst => true;
 
         // Service management
         public StartMode StartMode => StartMode.Automatic;
diff --git a/src/Plugins/RunawayProcessKiller/RunawayProcessKillerExtension.cs b/src/Plugins/RunawayProcessKiller/RunawayProcessKillerExtension.cs
index d3196e4..eec9b37 100644
--- a/src/Plugins/RunawayProcessKiller/RunawayProcessKillerExtension.cs
+++ b/src/Plugins/RunawayProcessKiller/RunawayProcessKillerExtension.cs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ namespace WinSW.Plugins.RunawayProcessKiller
         }
 
 #pragma warning disable CS8618 // Non-nullable field is uninitialized. Consider declaring as nullable.
-        public RunawayProcessKillerExtension(string pidfile, int stopTimeoutMs = 5000, bool stopParentFirst = false, bool checkWinSWEnvironmentVariable = true)
+        public RunawayProcessKillerExtension(string pidfile, int stopTimeoutMs = 5000, bool stopParentFirst = true, bool checkWinSWEnvironmentVariable = true)
 #pragma warning restore CS8618 // Non-nullable field is uninitialized. Consider declaring as nullable.
         {
             this.Pidfile = pidfile;
diff --git a/src/Plugins/RunawayProcessKiller/sampleConfig.xml b/src/Plugins/RunawayProcessKiller/sampleConfig.xml
index c138f02..24feefa 100644
--- a/src/Plugins/RunawayProcessKiller/sampleConfig.xml
+++ b/src/Plugins/RunawayProcessKiller/sampleConfig.xml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
       <!-- Defines the process termination timeout in milliseconds. This timeout will be applied multiple times for each child process. -->
       <stopTimeout>5000</stopTimeout>
       <!-- If true, the parent process will be terminated first if the runaway process gets terminated. -->
-      <stopParentFirst>false</stopParentFirst>
+      <stopParentFirst>true</stopParentFirst>
     </extension>
   </extensions>
 </service>
diff --git a/src/Test/winswTests/ServiceDescriptorTests.cs b/src/Test/winswTests/ServiceDescriptorTests.cs
index 77580f9..55bebdd 100644
--- a/src/Test/winswTests/ServiceDescriptorTests.cs
+++ b/src/Test/winswTests/ServiceDescriptorTests.cs
@@ -140,20 +140,20 @@ $@"<service>
         }
 
         [Test]
-        public void StopParentProcessFirstIsFalseByDefault()
+        public void StopParentProcessFirstIsTrueByDefault()
         {
-            Assert.That(this._extendedServiceDescriptor.StopParentProcessFirst, Is.False);
+            Assert.That(this._extendedServiceDescriptor.StopParentProcessFirst, Is.True);
         }
 
         [Test]
         public void CanParseStopParentProcessFirst()
         {
             const string seedXml = "<service>"
-                                   + "<stopparentprocessfirst>true</stopparentprocessfirst>"
+                                   + "<stopparentprocessfirst>false</stopparentprocessfirst>"
                                    + "</service>";
             var serviceDescriptor = ServiceDescriptor.FromXML(seedXml);
 
-            Assert.That(serviceDescriptor.StopParentProcessFirst, Is.True);
+            Assert.That(serviceDescriptor.StopParentProcessFirst, Is.False);
         }
 
         [Test]