diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/build.js b/packages/cli/src/commands/build.js
index 0e1071929..9870bed3e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/build.js
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/build.js
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ export default {
     },
     generate: {
       type: 'boolean',
-      default: false,
-      description: 'Generate static version for SPA mode (useful for nuxt start)'
+      default: true,
+      description: 'Don\'t generate static version for SPA mode (useful for nuxt start)'
     },
     quiet: {
       alias: 'q',
diff --git a/packages/cli/test/unit/build.test.js b/packages/cli/test/unit/build.test.js
index c39ed79ff..1ebc3ea7b 100644
--- a/packages/cli/test/unit/build.test.js
+++ b/packages/cli/test/unit/build.test.js
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ describe('build', () => {
   })
 
   test('generates on spa mode', async () => {
-    const argv = process.argv
-    process.argv = ['', '', '--generate']
     mockGetNuxt({
       mode: 'spa',
       build: {
@@ -44,7 +42,6 @@ describe('build', () => {
 
     expect(generate).toHaveBeenCalled()
     expect(process.exit).toHaveBeenCalled()
-    process.argv = argv
   })
 
   test('catches error', async () => {