diff --git a/include/pika_conf.h b/include/pika_conf.h
index f1b4dbe75b..6b0917ee76 100644
--- a/include/pika_conf.h
+++ b/include/pika_conf.h
@@ -735,8 +735,8 @@ class PikaConf : public pstd::BaseConf {
   int max_cache_statistic_keys_ = 0;
   int small_compaction_threshold_ = 0;
   int small_compaction_duration_threshold_ = 0;
-  int max_background_flushes_ = 0;
-  int max_background_compactions_ = 0;
+  int max_background_flushes_ = 1;
+  int max_background_compactions_ = 2;
   int max_background_jobs_ = 0;
   int max_cache_files_ = 0;
   std::atomic<uint64_t> rocksdb_ttl_second_ = 0;
diff --git a/src/pika_conf.cc b/src/pika_conf.cc
index 5b097aab96..8086bb2285 100644
--- a/src/pika_conf.cc
+++ b/src/pika_conf.cc
@@ -361,7 +361,6 @@ int PikaConf::Load() {
     small_compaction_duration_threshold_ = 1000000;
   }
 
-  max_background_flushes_ = 1;
   GetConfInt("max-background-flushes", &max_background_flushes_);
   if (max_background_flushes_ <= 0) {
     max_background_flushes_ = 1;
@@ -370,7 +369,6 @@ int PikaConf::Load() {
     max_background_flushes_ = 6;
   }
 
-  max_background_compactions_ = 2;
   GetConfInt("max-background-compactions", &max_background_compactions_);
   if (max_background_compactions_ <= 0) {
     max_background_compactions_ = 2;