diff --git a/abogen/book_handler.py b/abogen/book_handler.py
index 05201ec..cb406d8 100644
--- a/abogen/book_handler.py
+++ b/abogen/book_handler.py
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ class HandlerDialog(QDialog):
         from abogen.utils import load_config
 
         cfg = load_config()
-        replace_single_newlines = cfg.get("replace_single_newlines", False)
+        replace_single_newlines = cfg.get("replace_single_newlines", True)
 
         cache_key = (self.book_path, mod_time, self.file_type, replace_single_newlines)
 
diff --git a/abogen/conversion.py b/abogen/conversion.py
index a4f10df..c0afb2b 100644
--- a/abogen/conversion.py
+++ b/abogen/conversion.py
@@ -2042,7 +2042,7 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
                     return
 
                 # Process text and timing
-                replace_nl = getattr(self, "replace_single_newlines", False)
+                replace_nl = getattr(self, "replace_single_newlines", True)
                 processed_text = text.replace("\n", " ") if replace_nl else text
                 use_gaps = getattr(self, "use_silent_gaps", False)
                 next_start = (
diff --git a/abogen/gui.py b/abogen/gui.py
index 0093e67..929dee9 100644
--- a/abogen/gui.py
+++ b/abogen/gui.py
@@ -1912,7 +1912,7 @@ class abogen(QWidget):
                 and queued_item.output_folder == item_queue.output_folder
                 and queued_item.subtitle_mode == item_queue.subtitle_mode
                 and queued_item.output_format == item_queue.output_format
-                and getattr(queued_item, "replace_single_newlines", False)
+                and getattr(queued_item, "replace_single_newlines", True)
                 == item_queue.replace_single_newlines
                 and getattr(queued_item, "save_base_path", None)
                 == item_queue.save_base_path
@@ -1977,7 +1977,7 @@ class abogen(QWidget):
             self.selected_format = queued_item.output_format
             self.char_count = queued_item.total_char_count
             self.replace_single_newlines = getattr(
-                queued_item, "replace_single_newlines", False
+                queued_item, "replace_single_newlines", True
             )
             self.use_silent_gaps = getattr(queued_item, "use_silent_gaps", False)
             # Restore the original file path for save location
diff --git a/abogen/queue_manager_gui.py b/abogen/queue_manager_gui.py
index 0e2dbf3..78cfcec 100644
--- a/abogen/queue_manager_gui.py
+++ b/abogen/queue_manager_gui.py
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ class QueueManager(QDialog):
                 f"<b>Subtitle Mode:</b> {getattr(item, 'subtitle_mode', '')}<br>"
                 f"<b>Output Format:</b> {getattr(item, 'output_format', '')}<br>"
                 f"<b>Characters:</b> {getattr(item, 'total_char_count', '')}<br>"
-                f"<b>Replace Single Newlines:</b> {getattr(item, 'replace_single_newlines', False)}<br>"
+                f"<b>Replace Single Newlines:</b> {getattr(item, 'replace_single_newlines', True)}<br>"
                 f"<b>Use Silent Gaps:</b> {getattr(item, 'use_silent_gaps', False)}<br>"
                 f"<b>Speed Method:</b> {getattr(item, 'subtitle_speed_method', 'tts')}"
             )
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ class QueueManager(QDialog):
             attrs["total_char_count"] = getattr(parent, "char_count", "")
             # replace_single_newlines
             attrs["replace_single_newlines"] = getattr(
-                parent, "replace_single_newlines", False
+                parent, "replace_single_newlines", True
             )
             # use_silent_gaps
             attrs["use_silent_gaps"] = getattr(parent, "use_silent_gaps", False)
@@ -501,8 +501,8 @@ class QueueManager(QDialog):
                     == getattr(item, "output_format", None)
                     and getattr(queued_item, "total_char_count", None)
                     == getattr(item, "total_char_count", None)
-                    and getattr(queued_item, "replace_single_newlines", False)
-                    == getattr(item, "replace_single_newlines", False)
+                    and getattr(queued_item, "replace_single_newlines", True)
+                    == getattr(item, "replace_single_newlines", True)
                     and getattr(queued_item, "use_silent_gaps", False)
                     == getattr(item, "use_silent_gaps", False)
                     and getattr(queued_item, "subtitle_speed_method", "tts")
diff --git a/abogen/queued_item.py b/abogen/queued_item.py
index fc6c067..38d4054 100644
--- a/abogen/queued_item.py
+++ b/abogen/queued_item.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class QueuedItem:
     subtitle_mode: str
     output_format: str
     total_char_count: int
-    replace_single_newlines: bool = False
+    replace_single_newlines: bool = True
     use_silent_gaps: bool = False
     subtitle_speed_method: str = "tts"
     save_base_path: str = None
diff --git a/abogen/utils.py b/abogen/utils.py
index f668654..ba6e30e 100644
--- a/abogen/utils.py
+++ b/abogen/utils.py
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ _sleep_procs = {"Darwin": None, "Linux": None}  # Store sleep prevention process
 def clean_text(text, *args, **kwargs):
     # Load replace_single_newlines from config
     cfg = load_config()
-    replace_single_newlines = cfg.get("replace_single_newlines", False)
+    replace_single_newlines = cfg.get("replace_single_newlines", True)
     # Collapse all whitespace (excluding newlines) into single spaces per line and trim edges
     # Use pre-compiled pattern for better performance
     lines = [_WHITESPACE_PATTERN.sub(" ", line).strip() for line in text.splitlines()]