diff --git a/build_image b/build_image
index 8bc0c6179b..565e00818f 100755
--- a/build_image
+++ b/build_image
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ DEFINE_boolean installmask $FLAGS_TRUE \
   "Use INSTALL_MASK to shrink the resulting image."
 DEFINE_integer jobs -1 \
   "How many packages to build in parallel at maximum."
-DEFINE_boolean statefuldev $FLAGS_FALSE \
+DEFINE_boolean statefuldev $FLAGS_TRUE \
   "Install development packages on stateful partition rather than the rootfs"
 DEFINE_string to "" \
   "The target image file or device"