diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go
index 69652834a1..71a4024765 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go
@@ -253,13 +253,13 @@ func Main(archInit func(*Arch)) {
 	flag.StringVar(&blockprofile, "blockprofile", "", "write block profile to `file`")
 	flag.StringVar(&mutexprofile, "mutexprofile", "", "write mutex profile to `file`")
 	flag.StringVar(&benchfile, "bench", "", "append benchmark times to `file`")
-	flag.BoolVar(&newescape, "newescape", false, "enable new escape analysis")
+	flag.BoolVar(&newescape, "newescape", true, "enable new escape analysis")
 	objabi.Flagparse(usage)
 
 	// Record flags that affect the build result. (And don't
 	// record flags that don't, since that would cause spurious
 	// changes in the binary.)
-	recordFlags("B", "N", "l", "msan", "race", "shared", "dynlink", "dwarflocationlists")
+	recordFlags("B", "N", "l", "msan", "race", "shared", "dynlink", "dwarflocationlists", "newescape")
 
 	Ctxt.Flag_shared = flag_dynlink || flag_shared
 	Ctxt.Flag_dynlink = flag_dynlink