diff --git a/docs/root/intro/version_history.rst b/docs/root/intro/version_history.rst
index 81800919060ff..b7ac029627841 100644
--- a/docs/root/intro/version_history.rst
+++ b/docs/root/intro/version_history.rst
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Version history
 * listeners: added :ref:`continue_on_listener_filters_timeout <envoy_api_field_Listener.continue_on_listener_filters_timeout>` to configure whether a listener will still create a connection when listener filters time out.
 * listeners: added :ref:`HTTP inspector listener filter <config_listener_filters_http_inspector>`.
 * lua: extended `httpCall()` and `respond()` APIs to accept headers with entry values that can be a string or table of strings.
+* performance: new buffer implementation enabled by default (to disable add "--use-libevent-buffers 1" to the command-line arguments when starting Envoy).
 * router: added :ref:`rq_retry_skipped_request_not_complete <config_http_filters_router_stats>` counter stat to router stats.
 * router check tool: add coverage reporting & enforcement.
 * router check tool: add comprehensive coverage reporting.
diff --git a/source/server/options_impl.cc b/source/server/options_impl.cc
index 9db443e9848ff..4d1b444e5df8f 100644
--- a/source/server/options_impl.cc
+++ b/source/server/options_impl.cc
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ OptionsImpl::OptionsImpl(int argc, const char* const* argv,
 
   TCLAP::ValueArg<bool> use_libevent_buffer("", "use-libevent-buffers",
                                             "Use the original libevent buffer implementation",
-                                            false, true, "bool", cmd);
+                                            false, false, "bool", cmd);
 
   cmd.setExceptionHandling(false);
   try {
diff --git a/test/server/options_impl_test.cc b/test/server/options_impl_test.cc
index 86ab2b378be7e..78c3a8373429a 100644
--- a/test/server/options_impl_test.cc
+++ b/test/server/options_impl_test.cc
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ TEST_F(OptionsImplTest, All) {
   EXPECT_EQ(std::chrono::seconds(60), options->drainTime());
   EXPECT_EQ(std::chrono::seconds(90), options->parentShutdownTime());
   EXPECT_EQ(true, options->hotRestartDisabled());
-  EXPECT_EQ(true, options->libeventBufferEnabled());
+  EXPECT_EQ(false, options->libeventBufferEnabled());
   EXPECT_EQ(true, options->cpusetThreadsEnabled());
 
   options = createOptionsImpl("envoy --mode init_only");