diff --git a/UPDATING b/UPDATING
--- a/UPDATING
+++ b/UPDATING
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@
 You should get into the habit of checking this file for changes each time
 you update your ports collection, before attempting any port upgrades.
 
+20250708:
+  AFFECTS: users of shells/bash
+  AUTHOR: michaelo@FreeBSD.org
+
+  The SYSBASHRC option is now enabled by default. For those who use bash
+  interactively the system-wide RC file shall be sourced automatically
+  giving the user the same experience as invoking it as a login shell.
+
 20250630:
   AFFECTS: users of mail/bogofilter-bdb
   AUTHOR: mandree@FreeBSD.org
diff --git a/shells/bash/Makefile b/shells/bash/Makefile
--- a/shells/bash/Makefile
+++ b/shells/bash/Makefile
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 
 OPTIONS_DEFINE=		FDESCFS HELP NLS STATIC SYSBASHRC \
 			SYSLOG DOCS
-OPTIONS_DEFAULT=	HELP
+OPTIONS_DEFAULT=	HELP SYSBASHRC
 OPTIONS_SUB=		yes
 
 FDESCFS_DESC=		Enable use of /dev/fd