diff --git a/docs/man/kmscon.xml b/docs/man/kmscon.xml
index b2d961b..c337872 100644
--- a/docs/man/kmscon.xml
+++ b/docs/man/kmscon.xml
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@
                 after all options have been parsed is used as argument to this
                 option. Note that nothing after two dashes <option>--</option>
                 is parsed as regular option by kmscon.
-                (default: /bin/login)</para>
+                (default: /bin/login -p)</para>
 
           <para>This example starts '/bin/bash -i' on each new terminal session:
                 ./kmscon --login --debug --no-switchvt -- /bin/bash -i</para>
diff --git a/src/kmscon_conf.c b/src/kmscon_conf.c
index 3cc7c0b..6ce5714 100644
--- a/src/kmscon_conf.c
+++ b/src/kmscon_conf.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ static void print_help()
 		"\t    --cdev-session              [off] Enable kernel VT emulation session\n"
 		"\n"
 		"Terminal Options:\n"
-		"\t-l, --login                 [/bin/sh]\n"
+		"\t-l, --login                 [/bin/login -p]\n"
 		"\t                              Start the given login process instead\n"
 		"\t                              of the default process; all arguments\n"
 		"\t                              following '--' will be be parsed as\n"
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ static const struct conf_type conf_vt = {
  * special handling that the command-line does.
  */
 
-static char *def_argv[] = { "/bin/login", NULL };
+static char *def_argv[] = { "/bin/login", "-p", NULL };
 
 static void conf_default_login(struct conf_option *opt)
 {