diff --git a/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb b/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb
index 372f6d678f6..f0ae516a2f8 100644
--- a/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb
+++ b/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ module Ci
     def ordered_stages
       return legacy_stages unless complete?
 
-      if Feature.enabled?('ci_pipeline_persisted_stages')
+      if Feature.enabled?('ci_pipeline_persisted_stages', default_enabled: true)
         stages
       else
         legacy_stages
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/feature-gb-enable-ci-persisted-stages-by-default.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/feature-gb-enable-ci-persisted-stages-by-default.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ad92135d401
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/feature-gb-enable-ci-persisted-stages-by-default.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Enable persisted pipeline stages by default
+merge_request: 25347
+author:
+type: performance