diff --git a/config/gitlab.yml.example b/config/gitlab.yml.example
index 89e9ed681f1..c1cc9f872f3 100644
--- a/config/gitlab.yml.example
+++ b/config/gitlab.yml.example
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ production: &base
     ##   MODERN = 3
     ##   GRAY   = 4
     ##   COLOR  = 5
-    # default_theme: 1 # default: 1
+    # default_theme: 2 # default: 2
 
 
     ## Users management
diff --git a/config/initializers/1_settings.rb b/config/initializers/1_settings.rb
index 95a32788ea4..1c8758d9420 100644
--- a/config/initializers/1_settings.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/1_settings.rb
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Settings['issues_tracker']  ||= {}
 Settings['gitlab'] ||= Settingslogic.new({})
 Settings.gitlab['default_projects_limit'] ||= 10
 Settings.gitlab['default_can_create_group'] = true if Settings.gitlab['default_can_create_group'].nil?
-Settings.gitlab['default_theme'] = Gitlab::Theme::BASIC if Settings.gitlab['default_theme'].nil?
+Settings.gitlab['default_theme'] = Gitlab::Theme::MARS if Settings.gitlab['default_theme'].nil?
 Settings.gitlab['host']       ||= 'localhost'
 Settings.gitlab['https']        = false if Settings.gitlab['https'].nil?
 Settings.gitlab['port']       ||= Settings.gitlab.https ? 443 : 80