diff --git a/docs/Config.md b/docs/Config.md
index 7dd0a30d0..f8eeb496d 100644
--- a/docs/Config.md
+++ b/docs/Config.md
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ Default path for the config file:
   reporting: 'undetermined' # one of: 'on' | 'off' | 'undetermined'
   confirmOnQuit: false
   # determines whether hitting 'esc' will quit the application when there is nothing to cancel/close
-  quitOnTopLevelReturn: true
+  quitOnTopLevelReturn: false
   disableStartupPopups: false
   notARepository: 'prompt' # one of: 'prompt' | 'create' | 'skip'
   keybinding:
diff --git a/pkg/config/user_config.go b/pkg/config/user_config.go
index b9221c01b..377ed05c0 100644
--- a/pkg/config/user_config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/user_config.go
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ func GetDefaultConfig() *UserConfig {
 		Reporting:            "undetermined",
 		SplashUpdatesIndex:   0,
 		ConfirmOnQuit:        false,
-		QuitOnTopLevelReturn: true,
+		QuitOnTopLevelReturn: false,
 		Keybinding: KeybindingConfig{
 			Universal: KeybindingUniversalConfig{
 				Quit:                         "q",