diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index 1183565ad3..965ac420ff 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -16858,8 +16858,8 @@ Specify IP address of upstream servers directly.
 Set the size of dnsmasq's cache.  Setting the cache size to zero
 disables caching.
 
-@item @code{no-negcache?} (default: @code{#f})
-When true, disable negative caching.
+@item @code{negative-cache?} (default: @code{#t})
+When false, disable negative caching.
 
 @end table
 @end deftp
diff --git a/gnu/services/dns.scm b/gnu/services/dns.scm
index d0913e90ed..1b39d0f508 100644
--- a/gnu/services/dns.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/dns.scm
@@ -622,8 +622,8 @@
                     (default '()))      ;list of string
   (cache-size       dnsmasq-configuration-cache-size
                     (default 150))      ;integer
-  (no-negcache?     dnsmasq-configuration-no-negcache?
-                    (default #f)))      ;boolean
+  (negative-cache?  dnsmasq-configuration-negative-cache?
+                    (default #t)))      ;boolean
 
 (define dnsmasq-shepherd-service
   (match-lambda
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@
                                 no-hosts?
                                 port local-service? listen-addresses
                                 resolv-file no-resolv? servers
-                                cache-size no-negcache?)
+                                cache-size negative-cache?)
      (shepherd-service
       (provision '(dnsmasq))
       (requirement '(networking))
@@ -656,9 +656,9 @@
                   #$@(map (cut format #f "--server=~a" <>)
                           servers)
                   #$(format #f "--cache-size=~a" cache-size)
-                  #$@(if no-negcache?
-                         '("--no-negcache")
-                         '()))
+                  #$@(if negative-cache?
+                         '()
+                         '("--no-negcache")))
                 #:pid-file "/run/dnsmasq.pid"))
       (stop #~(make-kill-destructor))))))