diff --git a/net/ipv6/af_inet6.c b/net/ipv6/af_inet6.c
index 3192aa02ba5d..3f9e86b15e0d 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/af_inet6.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/af_inet6.c
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ lookup_protocol:
 
 	inet_sk(sk)->pinet6 = np = inet6_sk_generic(sk);
 	np->hop_limit	= -1;
-	np->mcast_hops	= -1;
+	np->mcast_hops	= IPV6_DEFAULT_MCASTHOPS;
 	np->mc_loop	= 1;
 	np->pmtudisc	= IPV6_PMTUDISC_WANT;
 	np->ipv6only	= net->ipv6.sysctl.bindv6only;