diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin-integration-tests/src/test/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/BuildCacheIT.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin-integration-tests/src/test/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/BuildCacheIT.kt
index d5a94fa8497..162d1fdb1fb 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin-integration-tests/src/test/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/BuildCacheIT.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin-integration-tests/src/test/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/BuildCacheIT.kt
@@ -135,27 +135,12 @@ class BuildCacheIT : BaseGradleIT() {
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun testKaptCachingDisabledByDefault() = with(Project("simple", GRADLE_VERSION, directoryPrefix = "kapt2")) {
+    fun testKaptCachingEnabledByDefault() = with(Project("simple", GRADLE_VERSION, directoryPrefix = "kapt2")) {
         prepareLocalBuildCache()
 
-        build("build") {
-            assertSuccessful()
-            assertContains("Packing task ':kaptGenerateStubsKotlin'")
-            assertNotContains("Packing task ':kaptKotlin'")
-            assertContains("Caching disabled for task ':kaptKotlin': 'Caching is disabled by default for kapt")
-        }
-
-        File(projectDir, "build.gradle").appendText(
-            "\n" + """
-            afterEvaluate {
-                kaptKotlin.useBuildCache = true
-            }
-            """.trimIndent()
-        )
-
         build("clean", "build") {
             assertSuccessful()
-            assertContains(":kaptGenerateStubsKotlin FROM-CACHE")
+            assertContains("Packing task ':kaptGenerateStubsKotlin'")
             assertContains("Packing task ':kaptKotlin'")
         }
 
@@ -164,6 +149,21 @@ class BuildCacheIT : BaseGradleIT() {
             assertContains(":kaptGenerateStubsKotlin FROM-CACHE")
             assertContains(":kaptKotlin FROM-CACHE")
         }
+
+        File(projectDir, "build.gradle").appendText(
+            "\n" + """
+            afterEvaluate {
+                kaptKotlin.useBuildCache = false
+            }
+            """.trimIndent()
+        )
+
+        build("clean", "build") {
+            assertSuccessful()
+            assertContains(":kaptGenerateStubsKotlin FROM-CACHE")
+            assertNotContains(":kaptKotlin FROM-CACHE")
+            assertContains("Caching disabled for task ':kaptKotlin': 'Caching is disabled for kapt")
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/internal/kapt/KaptTask.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/internal/kapt/KaptTask.kt
index 9929145ead4..d185724bdbb 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/internal/kapt/KaptTask.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/internal/kapt/KaptTask.kt
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ abstract class KaptTask : ConventionTask(), TaskWithLocalState {
         cacheOnlyIfEnabledForKotlin()
 
         if (isBuildCacheSupported()) {
-            val reason = "Caching is disabled by default for kapt because of arbitrary behavior of external " +
-                    "annotation processors. You can enable it by adding 'kapt.useBuildCache = true' to the build script."
+            val reason = "Caching is disabled for kapt with 'kapt.useBuildCache'"
             outputs.cacheIf(reason) { useBuildCache }
         }
     }
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/KaptExtension.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/KaptExtension.kt
index c059b828251..362336c28af 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/KaptExtension.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/KaptExtension.kt
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ open class KaptExtension {
     @Deprecated("Use `annotationProcessor()` and `annotationProcessors()` instead")
     open var processors: String = ""
 
-    /** Explicit opt-in switch for Kapt caching. Should be used when annotation processors used by this project are
-     * certain NOT to use anything aside from the task inputs in their logic and are guaranteed to produce the same
+    /** Opt-out switch for Kapt caching. Should be used when annotation processors used by this project are suspected of
+     * using anything aside from the task inputs in their logic and are not guaranteed to produce the same
      * output on subsequent runs without input changes. */
-    var useBuildCache: Boolean = false
+    var useBuildCache: Boolean = true
 
     private val apOptionsActions =
         mutableListOf<(KaptAnnotationProcessorOptions) -> Unit>()