diff --git a/lib/rake/file_utils_ext.rb b/lib/rake/file_utils_ext.rb
index 687d80584..ac2e55c12 100644
--- a/lib/rake/file_utils_ext.rb
+++ b/lib/rake/file_utils_ext.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def verbose(value=nil)
           FileUtilsExt.verbose_flag = oldvalue
         end
       end
-      FileUtilsExt.verbose_flag
+      FileUtilsExt.verbose_flag != DEFAULT && FileUtilsExt.verbose_flag
     end
 
     # Get/set the nowrite flag controlling output from the FileUtils
diff --git a/test/test_rake_file_utils.rb b/test/test_rake_file_utils.rb
index 3af5e96f1..829f61cae 100644
--- a/test/test_rake_file_utils.rb
+++ b/test/test_rake_file_utils.rb
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ def test_safe_ln_fails_on_script_error
   end
 
   def test_verbose
+    RakeFileUtils.verbose_flag = Rake::FileUtilsExt::DEFAULT
+    assert_equal false, verbose
     verbose true
     assert_equal true, verbose
     verbose false