diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahArguments.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahArguments.cpp
index d28d13d8adf..556cc150854 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahArguments.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahArguments.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ void ShenandoahArguments::initialize() {
   FLAG_SET_DEFAULT(ShenandoahStoreValEnqueueBarrier, false);
   FLAG_SET_DEFAULT(ShenandoahCASBarrier,             false);
   FLAG_SET_DEFAULT(ShenandoahCloneBarrier,           false);
+
+  FLAG_SET_DEFAULT(ShenandoahVerifyOptoBarriers,     false);
 #endif
 
 #ifdef _LP64