diff --git a/cp.1 b/cp.1
index f74127d..a37caa3 100644
--- a/cp.1
+++ b/cp.1
@@ -48,9 +48,12 @@ Dereference
 if it is a symbolic link.
 .It Fl L
 Dereference all symbolic links.
-This is the default.
+This is the default without
+.Fl R .
 .It Fl P
 Preserve symbolic links.
+This is the default with
+.Fl R .
 .It Fl R
 Traverse directories recursively. If this flag is not specified, directories
 are not copied.
diff --git a/cp.c b/cp.c
index d87e77e..6abe02c 100644
--- a/cp.c
+++ b/cp.c
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (argc < 2)
 		usage();
 
+	if (!cp_follow)
+		cp_follow = cp_rflag ? 'P' : 'L';
+
 	if (argc > 2) {
 		if (stat(argv[argc - 1], &st) < 0)
 			eprintf("stat %s:", argv[argc - 1]);
diff --git a/libutil/cp.c b/libutil/cp.c
index b6f8b23..bb85c14 100644
--- a/libutil/cp.c
+++ b/libutil/cp.c
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ int cp_pflag  = 0;
 int cp_rflag  = 0;
 int cp_vflag  = 0;
 int cp_status = 0;
-int cp_follow = 'L';
+int cp_follow;
 
 int
 cp(const char *s1, const char *s2, int depth)