diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu.conf b/src/qemu/qemu.conf
index a12cae2533..a7b864f594 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu.conf
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu.conf
@@ -422,7 +422,8 @@
 # CA in the backup_tls_x509_cert_dir (or default_tls_x509_cert_dir).
 #
 # If this option is not supplied, it will be set to the value of
-# "default_tls_x509_verify".
+# "default_tls_x509_verify". If "default_tls_x509_verify" is not supplied either,
+# the default is "1".
 #
 #backup_tls_x509_verify = 1
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
index 25e9ed2ecd..6993ff179f 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
@@ -1255,7 +1255,7 @@ virQEMUDriverConfigSetDefaults(virQEMUDriverConfigPtr cfg)
     SET_TLS_VERIFY_DEFAULT(vnc, false);
     SET_TLS_VERIFY_DEFAULT(chardev, true);
     SET_TLS_VERIFY_DEFAULT(migrate, true);
-    SET_TLS_VERIFY_DEFAULT(backup, false);
+    SET_TLS_VERIFY_DEFAULT(backup, true);
 
 #undef SET_TLS_VERIFY_DEFAULT