diff --git a/doc/configuration.txt b/doc/configuration.txt
index a3c048323..3dcdb3e2a 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.txt
+++ b/doc/configuration.txt
@@ -3212,7 +3212,7 @@ tune.lua.log.stderr { on | auto | off }
   Please note that, when enabled, this logging is in addition to the logging
   configured via tune.lua.log.loggers.
 
-  Defaults to 'on'.
+  Defaults to 'auto'.
 
 tune.max-checks-per-thread <number>
   Sets the number of active checks per thread above which a thread will
diff --git a/doc/lua-api/index.rst b/doc/lua-api/index.rst
index 50ade4e5b..571631297 100644
--- a/doc/lua-api/index.rst
+++ b/doc/lua-api/index.rst
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ Core class
   **context**: body, init, task, action, sample-fetch, converter
 
   This function sends a log. The log is sent, according with the HAProxy
-  configuration file, to the loggers relevant to the current context and
+  configuration file, to the loggers relevant to the current context and/or
   to stderr if it is allowed.
 
   The exact behaviour depends on tune.lua.log.loggers and tune.lua.log.stderr.
@@ -2650,7 +2650,7 @@ TXN class
 .. js:function:: TXN.log(TXN, loglevel, msg)
 
   This function sends a log. The log is sent, according with the HAProxy
-  configuration file, to the loggers relevant to the current context and
+  configuration file, to the loggers relevant to the current context and/or
   to stderr if it is allowed.
 
   The exact behaviour depends on tune.lua.log.loggers and tune.lua.log.stderr.
diff --git a/doc/lua.txt b/doc/lua.txt
index 25db8a304..edc400558 100644
--- a/doc/lua.txt
+++ b/doc/lua.txt
@@ -631,8 +631,9 @@ It displays a log during the HAProxy startup:
    [alert] 285/083533 (14465) : Hello World !
 
 Note: By default, logs originating from a LUA script are sent to the loggers
-applicable to the current context, if any, and additionally to stderr. See
-tune.lua.log.loggers and tune.lua.log.stderr for more information.
+applicable to the current context, if any. If none are configured for use,
+logs are instead sent to stderr. See tune.lua.log.loggers and tune.lua.log.stderr
+for more information.
 
 Default path and libraries
 --------------------------
diff --git a/src/hlua.c b/src/hlua.c
index 7c83237ff..7e0580d35 100644
--- a/src/hlua.c
+++ b/src/hlua.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ enum hlua_log_opt {
 	HLUA_LOG_STDERR_MASK     = 0x00000030,
 };
 /* default log options, made of flags in hlua_log_opt */
-static uint hlua_log_opts = HLUA_LOG_LOGGERS_ON | HLUA_LOG_STDERR_ON;
+static uint hlua_log_opts = HLUA_LOG_LOGGERS_ON | HLUA_LOG_STDERR_AUTO;
 
 /* Lua uses longjmp to perform yield or throwing errors. This
  * macro is used only for identifying the function that can
@@ -1381,8 +1381,8 @@ const char *hlua_show_current_location(const char *pfx)
 }
 
 /* This function is used to send logs. It tries to send them to:
- * - the log target applicable in the current context, AND
- * - stderr if not in quiet mode or explicitly disabled
+ * - the log target applicable in the current context, OR
+ * - stderr when no logger is in use for the current context
  */
 static inline void hlua_sendlog(struct proxy *px, int level, const char *msg)
 {