diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h
index 8fb500013a..eac7288c59 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, sound_midi_notes, "sound-midi-notes", false)
 /* denormal management */
 
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, denormal_protection, "denormal-protection", false)
-CONFIG_VARIABLE (DenormalModel, denormal_model, "denormal-model", DenormalNone)
+CONFIG_VARIABLE (DenormalModel, denormal_model, "denormal-model", DenormalFTZDAZ)
 
 /* visibility of various things */
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/globals.cc b/libs/ardour/globals.cc
index e9383295e7..3a37073e29 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/globals.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/globals.cc
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ ARDOUR::setup_fpu ()
 
 	switch (Config->get_denormal_model()) {
 	case DenormalNone:
-		MXCSR &= ~(_MM_FLUSH_ZERO_ON|0x8000);
+		MXCSR &= ~(_MM_FLUSH_ZERO_ON | 0x40);
 		break;
 
 	case DenormalFTZ:
@@ -473,14 +473,14 @@ ARDOUR::setup_fpu ()
 	case DenormalDAZ:
 		MXCSR &= ~_MM_FLUSH_ZERO_ON;
 		if (fpu.has_denormals_are_zero()) {
-			MXCSR |= 0x8000;
+			MXCSR |= 0x40;
 		}
 		break;
 
 	case DenormalFTZDAZ:
 		if (fpu.has_flush_to_zero()) {
 			if (fpu.has_denormals_are_zero()) {
-				MXCSR |= _MM_FLUSH_ZERO_ON | 0x8000;
+				MXCSR |= _MM_FLUSH_ZERO_ON | 0x40;
 			} else {
 				MXCSR |= _MM_FLUSH_ZERO_ON;
 			}