diff --git a/pkg/apis/admissionregistration/v1/defaults.go b/pkg/apis/admissionregistration/v1/defaults.go
index 34611765226..b91a49eeec1 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/admissionregistration/v1/defaults.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/admissionregistration/v1/defaults.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func addDefaultingFuncs(scheme *runtime.Scheme) error {
 
 func SetDefaults_ValidatingWebhook(obj *admissionregistrationv1.ValidatingWebhook) {
 	if obj.FailurePolicy == nil {
-		policy := admissionregistrationv1.Ignore
+		policy := admissionregistrationv1.Fail
 		obj.FailurePolicy = &policy
 	}
 	if obj.MatchPolicy == nil {
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func SetDefaults_ValidatingWebhook(obj *admissionregistrationv1.ValidatingWebhoo
 
 func SetDefaults_MutatingWebhook(obj *admissionregistrationv1.MutatingWebhook) {
 	if obj.FailurePolicy == nil {
-		policy := admissionregistrationv1.Ignore
+		policy := admissionregistrationv1.Fail
 		obj.FailurePolicy = &policy
 	}
 	if obj.MatchPolicy == nil {
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/admissionregistration/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/admissionregistration/v1/types.go
index 83c14c2669c..c122efd139d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/admissionregistration/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/admissionregistration/v1/types.go
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ type ValidatingWebhook struct {
 	Rules []RuleWithOperations `json:"rules,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,3,rep,name=rules"`
 
 	// FailurePolicy defines how unrecognized errors from the admission endpoint are handled -
-	// allowed values are Ignore or Fail. Defaults to Ignore.
+	// allowed values are Ignore or Fail. Defaults to Fail.
 	// +optional
 	FailurePolicy *FailurePolicyType `json:"failurePolicy,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=failurePolicy,casttype=FailurePolicyType"`
 
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ type MutatingWebhook struct {
 	Rules []RuleWithOperations `json:"rules,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,3,rep,name=rules"`
 
 	// FailurePolicy defines how unrecognized errors from the admission endpoint are handled -
-	// allowed values are Ignore or Fail. Defaults to Ignore.
+	// allowed values are Ignore or Fail. Defaults to Fail.
 	// +optional
 	FailurePolicy *FailurePolicyType `json:"failurePolicy,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=failurePolicy,casttype=FailurePolicyType"`