diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 71b8f9348c..169f2650d7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 * Graph node symbols are now configurable via `ui.graph.default_node` and `ui.graph.elided_node`.
 
+* `jj log` now includes synthetic nodes in the graph where some revisions were
+  elided.
+
 * `jj squash` now accepts `--from` and `--into` (mutually exclusive with `-r`).
   It can thereby be for all use cases where `jj move` can be used.
 
diff --git a/cli/src/commands/log.rs b/cli/src/commands/log.rs
index 8bf661fff1..c6988da8c9 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/log.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/log.rs
@@ -27,14 +27,21 @@ use crate::diff_util::{self, DiffFormatArgs};
 use crate::graphlog::{get_graphlog, Edge};
 use crate::ui::Ui;
 
-/// Show commit history
+/// Show revision history
+///
+/// Renders a graphical view of the project's history, 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
     /// `@ | ancestors(immutable_heads().., 2) | trunk()` if it is not set.
     #[arg(long, short)]
     revisions: Vec<RevisionArg>,
-    /// Show commits modifying the given paths
+    /// Show revisions modifying the given paths
     #[arg(value_hint = clap::ValueHint::AnyPath)]
     paths: Vec<String>,
     /// Show revisions in the opposite order (older revisions first)
diff --git a/cli/src/config-schema.json b/cli/src/config-schema.json
index 4ecd168163..8bbc7fa68e 100644
--- a/cli/src/config-schema.json
+++ b/cli/src/config-schema.json
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
                 "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 94e0f9db4c..0b2e1b94db 100644
--- a/cli/src/config/misc.toml
+++ b/cli/src/config/misc.toml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ 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 cd816acc3a..5336ada266 100644
--- a/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
+++ b/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ To get started, see the tutorial at https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/blob/main/d
 * `git` — Commands for working with the underlying Git repo
 * `init` — Create a new repo in the given directory
 * `interdiff` — Compare the changes of two commits
-* `log` — Show commit history
+* `log` — Show revision history
 * `move` — Move changes from one revision into another
 * `new` — Create a new, empty change and (by default) edit it in the working copy
 * `next` — Move the current working copy commit to the next child revision in the
@@ -1010,13 +1010,17 @@ This excludes changes from other commits by temporarily rebasing `--from` onto `
 
 ## `jj log`
 
-Show commit history
+Show revision history
+
+Renders a graphical view of the project's history, 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:**
 
-* `<PATHS>` — Show commits modifying the given paths
+* `<PATHS>` — Show revisions modifying the given paths
 
 ###### **Options:**
 
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs
index f5ce34c262..5601b53610 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
     ├─╮