diff --git a/picard/ui/options/metadata.py b/picard/ui/options/metadata.py
index 6545604c2..6c47320ca 100644
--- a/picard/ui/options/metadata.py
+++ b/picard/ui/options/metadata.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class MetadataOptionsPage(OptionsPage):
         ListOption("setting", "script_exceptions", []),
         BoolOption("setting", "release_ars", True),
         BoolOption("setting", "track_ars", False),
-        BoolOption("setting", "convert_punctuation", True),
+        BoolOption("setting", "convert_punctuation", False),
         BoolOption("setting", "standardize_artists", False),
         BoolOption("setting", "standardize_instruments", True),
         BoolOption("setting", "guess_tracknumber_and_title", True),