diff --git a/app/helpers/preferences_helper.rb b/app/helpers/preferences_helper.rb
index c3a08d7631864b9cd7f81c233e56ad5331506c8c..74cccb2395690b6fe575069dd8fd66cf6b0e4dea 100644
--- a/app/helpers/preferences_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/preferences_helper.rb
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ module PreferencesHelper
 
   def project_view_choices
     [
-      ['Readme (default)', :readme],
+      ['Readme', :readme],
       ['Activity view', :activity],
-      ['Files view', :files]
+      ['Files and Readme (default)', :files]
     ]
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 8443594c055828d1821d8e525b59a38d77f4b848..d3bb04060bfa77cbde63b8fd41b4df31064fc248 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   default_value_for :can_create_team, false
   default_value_for :hide_no_ssh_key, false
   default_value_for :hide_no_password, false
+  default_value_for :project_view, :files
 
   attr_encrypted :otp_secret,
     key:       Gitlab::Application.secrets.otp_key_base,
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/dz-change-project-view.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/dz-change-project-view.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..47e007a80a8d571350cb77a9c28576febd8a3796
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/dz-change-project-view.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+title: Change default project view for user from readme to files view
+merge_request: 9584
+author: