diff --git a/chrony.texi b/chrony.texi
index 7c8eeec..f9980f1 100644
--- a/chrony.texi
+++ b/chrony.texi
@@ -2207,6 +2207,7 @@ loss rate is not very reliable.
 
 The @code{maxupdateskew} parameter allows the threshold for determining
 whether an estimate may be so unreliable that it should not be used.
+By default, the threshold is 1000 ppm.
 
 The syntax is
 
diff --git a/conf.c b/conf.c
index dd8940b..6cae474 100644
--- a/conf.c
+++ b/conf.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ static char *keys_file = NULL;
 static char *drift_file = NULL;
 static char *rtc_file = NULL;
 static unsigned long command_key_id;
-static double max_update_skew = DBL_MAX;
+static double max_update_skew = 1000.0;
 
 static int cmd_port = -1;