diff --git a/mercurial/help.py b/mercurial/help.py
--- a/mercurial/help.py
+++ b/mercurial/help.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@
             # then convert it to bytes.
             defaultstr = pycompat.bytestr(default)
             if isinstance(default, bool):
-                defaultstr = _("on") if default else _("off")
+                defaultstr = _("yes") if default else _("no")
             desc += _(" (default: %s)") % defaultstr
 
         if isinstance(default, list):
diff --git a/tests/test-extension.t b/tests/test-extension.t
--- a/tests/test-extension.t
+++ b/tests/test-extension.t
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@
       --profile           print command execution profile
       --version           output version information and exit
    -h --help              display help and exit
-      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: off)
+      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: no)
       --pager TYPE        when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
                           (default: auto)
 
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@
       --profile           print command execution profile
       --version           output version information and exit
    -h --help              display help and exit
-      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: off)
+      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: no)
       --pager TYPE        when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
                           (default: auto)
 
@@ -1043,7 +1043,7 @@
       --profile           print command execution profile
       --version           output version information and exit
    -h --help              display help and exit
-      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: off)
+      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: no)
       --pager TYPE        when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
                           (default: auto)
 
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@
       --profile           print command execution profile
       --version           output version information and exit
    -h --help              display help and exit
-      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: off)
+      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: no)
       --pager TYPE        when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
                           (default: auto)
 
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@
       --profile           print command execution profile
       --version           output version information and exit
    -h --help              display help and exit
-      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: off)
+      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: no)
       --pager TYPE        when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
                           (default: auto)
 
@@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@
       --profile           print command execution profile
       --version           output version information and exit
    -h --help              display help and exit
-      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: off)
+      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: no)
       --pager TYPE        when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
                           (default: auto)
 
diff --git a/tests/test-fix.t b/tests/test-fix.t
--- a/tests/test-fix.t
+++ b/tests/test-fix.t
@@ -104,13 +104,12 @@
   
   options ([+] can be repeated):
   
-      --[no-]all         fix all non-public non-obsolete revisions (default:
-                         off)
+      --[no-]all         fix all non-public non-obsolete revisions (default: no)
       --base REV [+]     revisions to diff against (overrides automatic
                          selection, and applies to every revision being fixed)
    -r --rev REV [+]      revisions to fix
-   -w --[no-]working-dir fix the working directory (default: off)
-      --[no-]whole       always fix every line of a file (default: off)
+   -w --[no-]working-dir fix the working directory (default: no)
+      --[no-]whole       always fix every line of a file (default: no)
   
   (some details hidden, use --verbose to show complete help)
 
diff --git a/tests/test-help.t b/tests/test-help.t
--- a/tests/test-help.t
+++ b/tests/test-help.t
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@
       --profile           print command execution profile
       --version           output version information and exit
    -h --help              display help and exit
-      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: off)
+      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: no)
       --pager TYPE        when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
                           (default: auto)
   
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@
       --profile           print command execution profile
       --version           output version information and exit
    -h --help              display help and exit
-      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: off)
+      --[no-]hidden       consider hidden changesets (default: no)
       --pager TYPE        when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
                           (default: auto)
 
@@ -809,8 +809,8 @@
   >     [(b'', b'longdesc', 3, b'x'*67),
   >     (b'n', b'', None, b'normal desc'),
   >     (b'', b'newline', b'', b'line1\nline2'),
-  >     (b'', b'default-off', False, b'enable X'),
-  >     (b'', b'default-on', True, b'enable Y'),
+  >     (b'', b'default-no', False, b'enable X'),
+  >     (b'', b'default-yes', True, b'enable Y'),
   >     (b'', b'callableopt', func, b'adds foo'),
   >     (b'', b'customopt', customopt(''), b'adds bar'),
   >     (b'', b'customopt-withdefault', customopt('foo'), b'adds bar')],
@@ -905,8 +905,8 @@
                                     xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (default: 3)
    -n --                            normal desc
       --newline VALUE               line1 line2
-      --[no-]default-off            enable X (default: off)
-      --[no-]default-on             enable Y (default: on)
+      --[no-]default-no             enable X (default: no)
+      --[no-]default-yes            enable Y (default: yes)
       --callableopt VALUE           adds foo
       --customopt VALUE             adds bar
       --customopt-withdefault VALUE adds bar (default: foo)
@@ -2890,7 +2890,7 @@
   <td>display help and exit</td></tr>
   <tr><td></td>
   <td>--[no-]hidden</td>
-  <td>consider hidden changesets (default: off)</td></tr>
+  <td>consider hidden changesets (default: no)</td></tr>
   <tr><td></td>
   <td>--pager TYPE</td>
   <td>when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) (default: auto)</td></tr>
@@ -3094,7 +3094,7 @@
   <td>display help and exit</td></tr>
   <tr><td></td>
   <td>--[no-]hidden</td>
-  <td>consider hidden changesets (default: off)</td></tr>
+  <td>consider hidden changesets (default: no)</td></tr>
   <tr><td></td>
   <td>--pager TYPE</td>
   <td>when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) (default: auto)</td></tr>
diff --git a/tests/test-narrow-trackedcmd.t b/tests/test-narrow-trackedcmd.t
--- a/tests/test-narrow-trackedcmd.t
+++ b/tests/test-narrow-trackedcmd.t
@@ -105,9 +105,9 @@
       --import-rules VALUE              import narrowspecs from a file
       --removeexclude VALUE [+]         old paths to no longer exclude
       --[no-]clear                      whether to replace the existing
-                                        narrowspec (default: off)
+                                        narrowspec (default: no)
       --[no-]force-delete-local-changes forces deletion of local changes when
-                                        narrowing (default: off)
+                                        narrowing (default: no)
    -e --ssh CMD                         specify ssh command to use
       --remotecmd CMD                   specify hg command to run on the remote
                                         side
diff --git a/tests/test-shelve.t b/tests/test-shelve.t
--- a/tests/test-shelve.t
+++ b/tests/test-shelve.t
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
       --cleanup             delete all shelved changes
       --date DATE           shelve with the specified commit date
    -d --delete              delete the named shelved change(s)
-   -e --[no-]edit           invoke editor on commit messages (default: off)
+   -e --[no-]edit           invoke editor on commit messages (default: no)
    -l --list                list current shelves
    -m --message TEXT        use text as shelve message
    -n --name NAME           use the given name for the shelved commit
diff --git a/tests/test-uncommit.t b/tests/test-uncommit.t
--- a/tests/test-uncommit.t
+++ b/tests/test-uncommit.t
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
   options ([+] can be repeated):
   
       --[no-]keep           allow an empty commit after uncommiting (default:
-                            off)
+                            no)
    -I --include PATTERN [+] include names matching the given patterns
    -X --exclude PATTERN [+] exclude names matching the given patterns