diff --git a/provisioner/shell/provisioner.go b/provisioner/shell/provisioner.go
index 5e9c587a1..de88e7632 100644
--- a/provisioner/shell/provisioner.go
+++ b/provisioner/shell/provisioner.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 	}
 
 	if p.config.ExpectDisconnect == nil {
-		t := true
+		t := false
 		p.config.ExpectDisconnect = &t
 	}
 
diff --git a/provisioner/shell/provisioner_test.go b/provisioner/shell/provisioner_test.go
index ee0edf95b..b74fdbb13 100644
--- a/provisioner/shell/provisioner_test.go
+++ b/provisioner/shell/provisioner_test.go
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ func TestProvisionerPrepare_Defaults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	if *p.config.ExpectDisconnect != true {
-		t.Errorf("expected ExpectDisconnect to be true")
+	if *p.config.ExpectDisconnect != false {
+		t.Errorf("expected ExpectDisconnect to default to false")
 	}
 
 	if p.config.RemotePath == "" {