diff --git a/man/systemd.network.xml b/man/systemd.network.xml
index 85f16e73e6..0dab96d127 100644
--- a/man/systemd.network.xml
+++ b/man/systemd.network.xml
@@ -687,12 +687,10 @@
           </listitem>
         </varlistentry>
         <varlistentry>
-          <term><varname>BPDUGuard=</varname></term>
+          <term><varname>UseBPDU=</varname></term>
           <listitem>
             <para>A boolean. Configures whether STP Bridge Protocol Data Units will be
-            processed by the bridge port. By default, the flag is false allowing BPDU
-            processing. Turning this flag on will cause the port to stop processing
-            STP Bridge Protocol Data Units. Defaults to off.</para>
+            processed by the bridge port. Defaults to yes.</para>
           </listitem>
         </varlistentry>
         <varlistentry>
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-link.c b/src/network/networkd-link.c
index 55510b46e9..54077db486 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-link.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-link.c
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ static int link_set_bridge(Link *link) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_link_error_errno(link, r, "Could not append IFLA_PROTINFO attribute: %m");
 
-        r = sd_netlink_message_append_u8(req, IFLA_BRPORT_GUARD, link->network->bpdu_guard);
+        r = sd_netlink_message_append_u8(req, IFLA_BRPORT_GUARD, !link->network->use_bpdu);
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_link_error_errno(link, r, "Could not append IFLA_BRPORT_GUARD attribute: %m");
 
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-network-gperf.gperf b/src/network/networkd-network-gperf.gperf
index 720f6b9d0b..1416ba1d32 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-network-gperf.gperf
+++ b/src/network/networkd-network-gperf.gperf
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ DHCP.CriticalConnection,       config_parse_bool,                              0
 DHCP.VendorClassIdentifier,    config_parse_string,                            0,                             offsetof(Network, dhcp_vendor_class_identifier)
 DHCP.RouteMetric,              config_parse_unsigned,                          0,                             offsetof(Network, dhcp_route_metric)
 Bridge.Cost,                   config_parse_unsigned,                          0,                             offsetof(Network, cost)
-Bridge.BPDUGuard,              config_parse_bool,                              0,                             offsetof(Network, bpdu_guard)
+Bridge.UseBPDU,                config_parse_bool,                              0,                             offsetof(Network, use_bpdu)
 Bridge.HairPin,                config_parse_bool,                              0,                             offsetof(Network, hairpin)
 Bridge.FastLeave,              config_parse_bool,                              0,                             offsetof(Network, fast_leave)
 Bridge.RootBlock,              config_parse_bool,                              0,                             offsetof(Network, root_block)
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-network.c b/src/network/networkd-network.c
index 55e735e6bf..ff0f72cfe5 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-network.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-network.c
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ static int network_load_one(Manager *manager, const char *filename) {
         network->dhcp_route_metric = DHCP_ROUTE_METRIC;
         network->dhcp_client_identifier = DHCP_CLIENT_ID_DUID;
 
+        network->use_bpdu = true;
+
         network->llmnr = LLMNR_SUPPORT_YES;
 
         network->link_local = ADDRESS_FAMILY_IPV6;
diff --git a/src/network/networkd.h b/src/network/networkd.h
index 6418c0a536..7aade401d8 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd.h
+++ b/src/network/networkd.h
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ struct Network {
 
         bool dhcp_server;
 
-        bool bpdu_guard;
+        bool use_bpdu;
         bool hairpin;
         bool fast_leave;
         bool root_block;