diff --git a/src/compiler/commandLineParser.ts b/src/compiler/commandLineParser.ts
index 09f810f2046..1ef420daf85 100644
--- a/src/compiler/commandLineParser.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/commandLineParser.ts
@@ -1243,7 +1243,7 @@ const commandOptionsWithoutBuild: CommandLineOption[] = [
         affectsBuildInfo: true,
         category: Diagnostics.Modules,
         description: Diagnostics.Check_side_effect_imports,
-        defaultValueDescription: false,
+        defaultValueDescription: true,
     },
 
     // Source Maps
diff --git a/tests/cases/fourslash/findAllRefsUnresolvedSymbols2.ts b/tests/cases/fourslash/findAllRefsUnresolvedSymbols2.ts
index e60abcd1237..93244bf1dd8 100644
--- a/tests/cases/fourslash/findAllRefsUnresolvedSymbols2.ts
+++ b/tests/cases/fourslash/findAllRefsUnresolvedSymbols2.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 /// <reference path='fourslash.ts'/>
 
+// @noUncheckedSideEffectImports: false
+
 ////import { /*a0*/Bar } from "does-not-exist";
 ////
 ////let a: /*a1*/Bar;
diff --git a/tests/cases/fourslash/findAllRefsUnresolvedSymbols3.ts b/tests/cases/fourslash/findAllRefsUnresolvedSymbols3.ts
index 1088fb94562..e469a9278a7 100644
--- a/tests/cases/fourslash/findAllRefsUnresolvedSymbols3.ts
+++ b/tests/cases/fourslash/findAllRefsUnresolvedSymbols3.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 /// <reference path='fourslash.ts'/>
 
+// @noUncheckedSideEffectImports: false
+
 ////import * as /*a0*/Bar from "does-not-exist";
 ////
 ////let a: /*a1*/Bar;