diff --git a/apps/dhparam.c b/apps/dhparam.c
index f86311c28..d3b6d58ad 100644
--- a/apps/dhparam.c
+++ b/apps/dhparam.c
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@
 # undef PROG
 # define PROG    dhparam_main
 
-# define DEFBITS 512
+# define DEFBITS 2048
 
 /*-
  * -inform arg  - input format - default PEM (DER or PEM)
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ int MAIN(int argc, char **argv)
         BIO_printf(bio_err,
                    " -5            generate parameters using  5 as the generator value\n");
         BIO_printf(bio_err,
-                   " numbits       number of bits in to generate (default 512)\n");
+                   " numbits       number of bits in to generate (default 2048)\n");
 # ifndef OPENSSL_NO_ENGINE
         BIO_printf(bio_err,
                    " -engine e     use engine e, possibly a hardware device.\n");
diff --git a/apps/gendh.c b/apps/gendh.c
index adaa10178..fef6f1b17 100644
--- a/apps/gendh.c
+++ b/apps/gendh.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 # include <openssl/x509.h>
 # include <openssl/pem.h>
 
-# define DEFBITS 512
+# define DEFBITS 2048
 # undef PROG
 # define PROG gendh_main