diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4ebcb160c3..9d6bc49bdb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 * `ui.default-command` now accepts multiple string arguments, for more complex
   default `jj` commands.
 
+* `jj log` now includes synthetic nodes in the graph where some revisions were
+  elided.
+
 ### Fixed bugs
 
 ## [0.15.1] - 2024-03-06
diff --git a/cli/src/commands/log.rs b/cli/src/commands/log.rs
index 20b6c75756..3aac0e91a8 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/log.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/log.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ use crate::ui::Ui;
 /// Renders a graphical view of the project's history with, ordered with
 /// children before parents. By default, the output only includes mutable
 /// revisions, along with some additional revisions for context.
+///
+/// Spans of revisions that are not included in the graph per `--revisions` are
+/// rendered as a synthetic node labeled "(elided revisions)".
 #[derive(clap::Args, Clone, Debug)]
 pub(crate) struct LogArgs {
     /// Which revisions to show. Defaults to the `revsets.log` setting, or
diff --git a/cli/src/config-schema.json b/cli/src/config-schema.json
index 29a0b3e552..d681632b5b 100644
--- a/cli/src/config-schema.json
+++ b/cli/src/config-schema.json
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@
                 "log-synthetic-elided-nodes": {
                     "type": "boolean",
                     "description": "Whether to render elided parts of the graph as synthetic nodes.",
-                    "default": false
+                    "default": true
                 },
                 "editor": {
                     "type": "string",
diff --git a/cli/src/config/misc.toml b/cli/src/config/misc.toml
index 6802b92bca..824ea5d3f7 100644
--- a/cli/src/config/misc.toml
+++ b/cli/src/config/misc.toml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ diff-instructions = true
 paginate = "auto"
 pager = { command = ["less", "-FRX"], env = { LESSCHARSET = "utf-8" } }
 log-word-wrap = false
-log-synthetic-elided-nodes = false
+log-synthetic-elided-nodes = true
 
 [snapshot]
 max-new-file-size = "1MiB"
diff --git a/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap b/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
index ed3b507c9f..1c82c438d4 100644
--- a/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
+++ b/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
@@ -1014,6 +1014,8 @@ Show revision history
 
 Renders a graphical view of the project's history with, ordered with children before parents. By default, the output only includes mutable revisions, along with some additional revisions for context.
 
+Spans of revisions that are not included in the graph per `--revisions` are rendered as a synthetic node labeled "(elided revisions)".
+
 **Usage:** `jj log [OPTIONS] [PATHS]...`
 
 ###### **Arguments:**
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs
index 18561523ca..02a0a042a7 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs
@@ -1356,6 +1356,7 @@ fn test_elided() {
 
     // Elide some commits from each side of the merge. It's unclear that a revision
     // was skipped on the left side.
+    test_env.add_config("ui.log-synthetic-elided-nodes = false");
     insta::assert_snapshot!(get_log("@ | @- | description(initial)"), @r###"
     @    merge
     ├─╮