diff --git a/Rules.md b/Rules.md
index 173e2fed5..b549f46e5 100644
--- a/Rules.md
+++ b/Rules.md
@@ -2383,7 +2383,7 @@ Prefer shorthand syntax for Arrays, Dictionaries and Optionals.
 
 Option | Description
 --- | ---
-`--shortoptionals` | Use ? for optionals "always" (default) or "except-properties"
+`--shortoptionals` | Use ? for optionals "always" or "except-properties" (default)
 
 <details>
 <summary>Examples</summary>
diff --git a/Sources/OptionDescriptor.swift b/Sources/OptionDescriptor.swift
index 81c2e156d..69bcd9930 100644
--- a/Sources/OptionDescriptor.swift
+++ b/Sources/OptionDescriptor.swift
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ struct _Descriptors {
     let shortOptionals = OptionDescriptor(
         argumentName: "shortoptionals",
         displayName: "Short Optional Syntax",
-        help: "Use ? for optionals \"always\" (default) or \"except-properties\"",
+        help: "Use ? for optionals \"always\" or \"except-properties\" (default)",
         keyPath: \.shortOptionals
     )
     let markTypes = OptionDescriptor(
diff --git a/Sources/Options.swift b/Sources/Options.swift
index 3574c5a90..dc49d04df 100644
--- a/Sources/Options.swift
+++ b/Sources/Options.swift
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ public struct FormatOptions: CustomStringConvertible {
                 noSpaceOperators: Set<String> = [],
                 noWrapOperators: Set<String> = [],
                 modifierOrder: [String] = [],
-                shortOptionals: OptionalsMode = .always,
+                shortOptionals: OptionalsMode = .exceptProperties,
                 funcAttributes: AttributeMode = .preserve,
                 typeAttributes: AttributeMode = .preserve,
                 varAttributes: AttributeMode = .preserve,
diff --git a/Tests/RulesTests+Syntax.swift b/Tests/RulesTests+Syntax.swift
index 11143f28e..925c1d298 100644
--- a/Tests/RulesTests+Syntax.swift
+++ b/Tests/RulesTests+Syntax.swift
@@ -1668,40 +1668,51 @@ class SyntaxTests: RulesTests {
 
     // optionals
 
+    func testOptionalPropertyTypeNotConvertedToSugarByDefault() {
+        let input = "var bar: Optional<String>"
+        testFormatting(for: input, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+    }
+
     func testOptionalTypeConvertedToSugar() {
         let input = "var foo: Optional<String>"
         let output = "var foo: String?"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testSwiftOptionalTypeConvertedToSugar() {
         let input = "var foo: Swift.Optional<String>"
         let output = "var foo: String?"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testOptionalClosureParenthesizedConvertedToSugar() {
         let input = "var foo: Optional<(Int) -> String>"
         let output = "var foo: ((Int) -> String)?"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testOptionalTupleWrappedInParensConvertedToSugar() {
         let input = "let foo: Optional<(foo: Int, bar: String)>"
         let output = "let foo: (foo: Int, bar: String)?"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testOptionalComposedProtocolWrappedInParensConvertedToSugar() {
         let input = "let foo: Optional<UIView & Foo>"
         let output = "let foo: (UIView & Foo)?"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testSwiftOptionalClosureParenthesizedConvertedToSugar() {
         let input = "var foo: Swift.Optional<(Int) -> String>"
         let output = "var foo: ((Int) -> String)?"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testStrippingSwiftNamespaceInOptionalTypeWhenConvertedToSugar() {
@@ -1713,7 +1724,8 @@ class SyntaxTests: RulesTests {
     func testStrippingSwiftNamespaceDoesNotStripPreviousSwiftNamespaceReferences() {
         let input = "let a: Swift.String = Optional<String>"
         let output = "let a: Swift.String = String?"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testOptionalTypeInsideCaseConvertedToSugar() {
@@ -1742,65 +1754,63 @@ class SyntaxTests: RulesTests {
         testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
     }
 
-    // shortOptionals = exceptProperties
-
-    func testPropertyTypeNotConvertedToSugar() {
-        let input = "var foo: Optional<String>"
-        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .exceptProperties)
-        testFormatting(for: input, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
-    }
-
     // swift parser bug
 
     func testAvoidSwiftParserBugWithClosuresInsideArrays() {
         let input = "var foo = Array<(_ image: Data?) -> Void>()"
-        testFormatting(for: input, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        testFormatting(for: input, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always))
     }
 
     func testAvoidSwiftParserBugWithClosuresInsideDictionaries() {
         let input = "var foo = Dictionary<String, (_ image: Data?) -> Void>()"
-        testFormatting(for: input, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        testFormatting(for: input, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always))
     }
 
     func testAvoidSwiftParserBugWithClosuresInsideOptionals() {
         let input = "var foo = Optional<(_ image: Data?) -> Void>()"
-        testFormatting(for: input, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        testFormatting(for: input, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always))
     }
 
     func testDontOverApplyBugWorkaround() {
         let input = "var foo: Array<(_ image: Data?) -> Void>"
         let output = "var foo: [(_ image: Data?) -> Void]"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testDontOverApplyBugWorkaround2() {
         let input = "var foo: Dictionary<String, (_ image: Data?) -> Void>"
         let output = "var foo: [String: (_ image: Data?) -> Void]"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testDontOverApplyBugWorkaround3() {
         let input = "var foo: Optional<(_ image: Data?) -> Void>"
         let output = "var foo: ((_ image: Data?) -> Void)?"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testDontOverApplyBugWorkaround4() {
         let input = "var foo = Array<(image: Data?) -> Void>()"
         let output = "var foo = [(image: Data?) -> Void]()"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testDontOverApplyBugWorkaround5() {
         let input = "var foo = Array<(Data?) -> Void>()"
         let output = "var foo = [(Data?) -> Void]()"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     func testDontOverApplyBugWorkaround6() {
         let input = "var foo = Dictionary<Int, Array<(_ image: Data?) -> Void>>()"
         let output = "var foo = [Int: Array<(_ image: Data?) -> Void>]()"
-        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar)
+        let options = FormatOptions(shortOptionals: .always)
+        testFormatting(for: input, output, rule: FormatRules.typeSugar, options: options)
     }
 
     // MARK: - preferKeyPath