diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/ci_variable_list/ci_variable_list.js b/app/assets/javascripts/ci_variable_list/ci_variable_list.js
index d91789c2192..3467e88119b 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/ci_variable_list/ci_variable_list.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/ci_variable_list/ci_variable_list.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export default class VariableList {
       },
       protected: {
         selector: '.js-ci-variable-input-protected',
-        default: 'true',
+        default: 'false',
       },
       environment_scope: {
         // We can't use a `.js-` class here because
diff --git a/app/views/ci/variables/_variable_row.html.haml b/app/views/ci/variables/_variable_row.html.haml
index 495a55660cb..15201780451 100644
--- a/app/views/ci/variables/_variable_row.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/ci/variables/_variable_row.html.haml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 - id = variable&.id
 - key = variable&.key
 - value = variable&.value
-- is_protected = variable && !only_key_value ? variable.protected : true
+- is_protected = variable && !only_key_value ? variable.protected : false
 
 - id_input_name = "#{form_field}[variables_attributes][][id]"
 - destroy_input_name = "#{form_field}[variables_attributes][][_destroy]"
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/ci_variable_list/ci_variable_list_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/ci_variable_list/ci_variable_list_spec.js
index 6ab7b50e035..8acb346901f 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/ci_variable_list/ci_variable_list_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/ci_variable_list/ci_variable_list_spec.js
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ describe('VariableList', () => {
 
           // Check for the correct default in the new row
           const $protectedInput = $wrapper.find('.js-row:last-child').find('.js-ci-variable-input-protected');
-          expect($protectedInput.val()).toBe('true');
+          expect($protectedInput.val()).toBe('false');
         })
         .then(done)
         .catch(done.fail);
diff --git a/spec/support/features/variable_list_shared_examples.rb b/spec/support/features/variable_list_shared_examples.rb
index 83bf06b6727..4315bf5d037 100644
--- a/spec/support/features/variable_list_shared_examples.rb
+++ b/spec/support/features/variable_list_shared_examples.rb
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ shared_examples 'variable list' do
     end
   end
 
-  it 'adds new unprotected variable' do
+  it 'adds new protected variable' do
     page.within('.js-ci-variable-list-section .js-row:last-child') do
       find('.js-ci-variable-input-key').set('key')
       find('.js-ci-variable-input-value').set('key value')
       find('.ci-variable-protected-item .js-project-feature-toggle').click
 
-      expect(find('.js-ci-variable-input-protected', visible: false).value).to eq('false')
+      expect(find('.js-ci-variable-input-protected', visible: false).value).to eq('true')
     end
 
     click_button('Save variables')
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ shared_examples 'variable list' do
     page.within('.js-ci-variable-list-section .js-row:nth-child(1)') do
       expect(find('.js-ci-variable-input-key').value).to eq('key')
       expect(find('.js-ci-variable-input-value', visible: false).value).to eq('key value')
-      expect(find('.js-ci-variable-input-protected', visible: false).value).to eq('false')
+      expect(find('.js-ci-variable-input-protected', visible: false).value).to eq('true')
     end
   end
 
@@ -143,7 +143,6 @@ shared_examples 'variable list' do
     page.within('.js-ci-variable-list-section .js-row:last-child') do
       find('.js-ci-variable-input-key').set('unprotected_key')
       find('.js-ci-variable-input-value').set('unprotected_value')
-      find('.ci-variable-protected-item .js-project-feature-toggle').click
 
       expect(find('.js-ci-variable-input-protected', visible: false).value).to eq('false')
     end
@@ -178,6 +177,7 @@ shared_examples 'variable list' do
     page.within('.js-ci-variable-list-section .js-row:last-child') do
       find('.js-ci-variable-input-key').set('protected_key')
       find('.js-ci-variable-input-value').set('protected_value')
+      find('.ci-variable-protected-item .js-project-feature-toggle').click
 
       expect(find('.js-ci-variable-input-protected', visible: false).value).to eq('true')
     end