diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/networking/firewall.nix b/nixos/modules/services/networking/firewall.nix
index 0b0ee57cf7ad..34b731ad35c9 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/networking/firewall.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/networking/firewall.nix
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ in
 
     networking.firewall.connectionTrackingModules = mkOption {
       type = types.listOf types.str;
-      default = [ "ftp" ];
+      default = [ ];
       example = [ "ftp" "irc" "sane" "sip" "tftp" "amanda" "h323" "netbios_sn" "pptp" "snmp" ];
       description =
         ''
@@ -434,9 +434,11 @@ in
 
           As helpers can pose as a security risk, it is advised to
           set this to an empty list and disable the setting
-          networking.firewall.autoLoadConntrackHelpers
+          networking.firewall.autoLoadConntrackHelpers unless you
+          know what you are doing. Connection tracking is disabled
+          by default.
 
-          Loading of helpers is recommended to be done through the new
+          Loading of helpers is recommended to be done through the
           CT target.  More info:
           https://home.regit.org/netfilter-en/secure-use-of-helpers/
         '';
@@ -444,7 +446,7 @@ in
 
     networking.firewall.autoLoadConntrackHelpers = mkOption {
       type = types.bool;
-      default = true;
+      default = false;
       description =
         ''
           Whether to auto-load connection-tracking helpers.
@@ -504,9 +506,10 @@ in
 
     environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.iptables ] ++ cfg.extraPackages;
 
-    boot.kernelModules = map (x: "nf_conntrack_${x}") cfg.connectionTrackingModules;
-    boot.extraModprobeConfig = optionalString (!cfg.autoLoadConntrackHelpers) ''
-      options nf_conntrack nf_conntrack_helper=0
+    boot.kernelModules = (optional cfg.autoLoadConntrackHelpers "nf_conntrack")
+      ++ map (x: "nf_conntrack_${x}") cfg.connectionTrackingModules;
+    boot.extraModprobeConfig = optionalString cfg.autoLoadConntrackHelpers ''
+      options nf_conntrack nf_conntrack_helper=1
     '';
 
     assertions = [ { assertion = (cfg.checkReversePath != false) || kernelHasRPFilter;
diff --git a/nixos/tests/nat.nix b/nixos/tests/nat.nix
index 4fbf64462682..b16260be38c4 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/nat.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/nat.nix
@@ -65,9 +65,6 @@ import ./make-test.nix ({ pkgs, withFirewall, ... }:
         $server->succeed("echo Hello World > /home/ftp/foo.txt");
         $client->succeed("curl -v ftp://server/foo.txt >&2");
 
-        # Test whether active FTP works.
-        $client->succeed("curl -v -P - ftp://server/foo.txt >&2");
-
         # Test ICMP.
         $client->succeed("ping -c 1 router >&2");
         $router->succeed("ping -c 1 client >&2");