diff --git a/youtube_dl/__init__.py b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
index 4c9c237d9..ffd837c32 100755
--- a/youtube_dl/__init__.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
@@ -4369,7 +4369,7 @@ def parseOpts():
 	filesystem.add_option('-w', '--no-overwrites',
 			action='store_true', dest='nooverwrites', help='do not overwrite files', default=False)
 	filesystem.add_option('-c', '--continue',
-			action='store_true', dest='continue_dl', help='resume partially downloaded files', default=False)
+			action='store_true', dest='continue_dl', help='resume partially downloaded files', default=True)
 	filesystem.add_option('--no-continue',
 			action='store_false', dest='continue_dl',
 			help='do not resume partially downloaded files (restart from beginning)')