diff --git a/docs/system/arm/cpu-features.rst b/docs/system/arm/cpu-features.rst
index d69ebc2b85283..37d5dfd15b348 100644
--- a/docs/system/arm/cpu-features.rst
+++ b/docs/system/arm/cpu-features.rst
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ Below is the list of TCG VCPU features and their descriptions.
   When ``pauth`` is enabled, select the architected QARMA5 algorithm.
 
 Without ``pauth-impdef``, ``pauth-qarma3`` or ``pauth-qarma5`` enabled,
-the architected QARMA5 algorithm is used.  The architected QARMA5
+the QEMU impdef algorithm is used.  The architected QARMA5
 and QARMA3 algorithms have good cryptographic properties, but can
 be quite slow to emulate.  The impdef algorithm used by QEMU is
 non-cryptographic but significantly faster.
diff --git a/docs/system/introduction.rst b/docs/system/introduction.rst
index 746707eb00e33..338d3745c3cbd 100644
--- a/docs/system/introduction.rst
+++ b/docs/system/introduction.rst
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ would default to it anyway.
 
 .. code::
 
- -cpu max,pauth-impdef=on \
+ -cpu max \
  -smp 4 \
  -accel tcg \
 
diff --git a/target/arm/cpu64.c b/target/arm/cpu64.c
index 34ef46d148ff4..8b1f26a966490 100644
--- a/target/arm/cpu64.c
+++ b/target/arm/cpu64.c
@@ -529,15 +529,15 @@ void arm_cpu_pauth_finalize(ARMCPU *cpu, Error **errp)
                 return;
             }
 
-            if (cpu->prop_pauth_impdef) {
-                isar1 = FIELD_DP64(isar1, ID_AA64ISAR1, API, features);
-                isar1 = FIELD_DP64(isar1, ID_AA64ISAR1, GPI, 1);
+            if (cpu->prop_pauth_qarma5) {
+                isar1 = FIELD_DP64(isar1, ID_AA64ISAR1, APA, features);
+                isar1 = FIELD_DP64(isar1, ID_AA64ISAR1, GPA, 1);
             } else if (cpu->prop_pauth_qarma3) {
                 isar2 = FIELD_DP64(isar2, ID_AA64ISAR2, APA3, features);
                 isar2 = FIELD_DP64(isar2, ID_AA64ISAR2, GPA3, 1);
-            } else { /* default is pauth-qarma5 */
-                isar1 = FIELD_DP64(isar1, ID_AA64ISAR1, APA, features);
-                isar1 = FIELD_DP64(isar1, ID_AA64ISAR1, GPA, 1);
+            } else { /* default is pauth-impdef */
+                isar1 = FIELD_DP64(isar1, ID_AA64ISAR1, API, features);
+                isar1 = FIELD_DP64(isar1, ID_AA64ISAR1, GPI, 1);
             }
         } else if (cpu->prop_pauth_impdef ||
                    cpu->prop_pauth_qarma3 ||