diff --git a/pkg/features/kube_features.go b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
index 39c89fe764d..df5340a3120 100644
--- a/pkg/features/kube_features.go
+++ b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
@@ -1212,7 +1212,7 @@ var defaultKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate.FeatureS
 	// inherited features from apiextensions-apiserver, relisted here to get a conflict if it is changed
 	// unintentionally on either side:
 
-	apiextensionsfeatures.CRDValidationRatcheting: {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
+	apiextensionsfeatures.CRDValidationRatcheting: {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 
 	// features that enable backwards compatibility but are scheduled to be removed
 	// ...
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go
index 1844ed8d1eb..7394b87895a 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go
@@ -44,5 +44,5 @@ func init() {
 // To add a new feature, define a key for it above and add it here. The features will be
 // available throughout Kubernetes binaries.
 var defaultKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate.FeatureSpec{
-	CRDValidationRatcheting: {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
+	CRDValidationRatcheting: {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/test/integration/ratcheting_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/test/integration/ratcheting_test.go
index faaef6447ef..fa6a1aa6087 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/test/integration/ratcheting_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/test/integration/ratcheting_test.go
@@ -1952,6 +1952,8 @@ func BenchmarkRatcheting(b *testing.B) {
 }
 
 func TestRatchetingDropFields(t *testing.T) {
+	// Field dropping only takes effect when feature is disabled
+	defer featuregatetesting.SetFeatureGateDuringTest(t, utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate, features.CRDValidationRatcheting, false)()
 	tearDown, apiExtensionClient, _, err := fixtures.StartDefaultServerWithClients(t)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -1982,6 +1984,7 @@ func TestRatchetingDropFields(t *testing.T) {
 										Type: "string",
 										XValidations: []apiextensionsv1.ValidationRule{
 											{
+												// Results in error if field wasn't dropped
 												Rule:            "self == oldSelf",
 												OptionalOldSelf: ptr(true),
 											},