diff --git a/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzSuspenseList-test.js b/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzSuspenseList-test.js
index 74db51d242960..f434bf3cda8ec 100644
--- a/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzSuspenseList-test.js
+++ b/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzSuspenseList-test.js
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzSuspenseList', () => {
   }
 
   // @gate enableSuspenseList
-  it('shows content independently by default', async () => {
+  it('shows content forwards by default', async () => {
     const A = createAsyncText('A');
     const B = createAsyncText('B');
     const C = createAsyncText('C');
@@ -157,31 +157,38 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzSuspenseList', () => {
       );
     }
 
-    await A.resolve();
+    await C.resolve();
 
     await serverAct(async () => {
       const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToPipeableStream(<Foo />);
       pipe(writable);
     });
 
-    assertLog(['A', 'Suspend! [B]', 'Suspend! [C]', 'Loading B', 'Loading C']);
+    assertLog([
+      'Suspend! [A]',
+      'Suspend! [B]', // TODO: Defer rendering the content after fallback if previous suspended,
+      'C',
+      'Loading A',
+      'Loading B',
+      'Loading C',
+    ]);
 
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(
       <div>
-        <span>A</span>
+        <span>Loading A</span>
         <span>Loading B</span>
         <span>Loading C</span>
       </div>,
     );
 
-    await serverAct(() => C.resolve());
-    assertLog(['C']);
+    await serverAct(() => A.resolve());
+    assertLog(['A']);
 
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(
       <div>
         <span>A</span>
         <span>Loading B</span>
-        <span>C</span>
+        <span>Loading C</span>
       </div>,
     );
 
diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactChildFiber.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactChildFiber.js
index f0d9c2e012e8e..8daf7fde4b4e0 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactChildFiber.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactChildFiber.js
@@ -2104,7 +2104,8 @@ export function validateSuspenseListChildren(
 ) {
   if (__DEV__) {
     if (
-      (revealOrder === 'forwards' ||
+      (revealOrder == null ||
+        revealOrder === 'forwards' ||
         revealOrder === 'backwards' ||
         revealOrder === 'unstable_legacy-backwards') &&
       children !== undefined &&
diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberBeginWork.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberBeginWork.js
index 7251e52dd6108..32ecd33edca65 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberBeginWork.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberBeginWork.js
@@ -3245,6 +3245,7 @@ function validateRevealOrder(revealOrder: SuspenseListRevealOrder) {
   if (__DEV__) {
     const cacheKey = revealOrder == null ? 'null' : revealOrder;
     if (
+      revealOrder != null &&
       revealOrder !== 'forwards' &&
       revealOrder !== 'unstable_legacy-backwards' &&
       revealOrder !== 'together' &&
@@ -3252,13 +3253,7 @@ function validateRevealOrder(revealOrder: SuspenseListRevealOrder) {
       !didWarnAboutRevealOrder[cacheKey]
     ) {
       didWarnAboutRevealOrder[cacheKey] = true;
-      if (revealOrder == null) {
-        console.error(
-          'The default for the <SuspenseList revealOrder="..."> prop is changing. ' +
-            'To be future compatible you must explictly specify either ' +
-            '"independent" (the current default), "together", "forwards" or "legacy_unstable-backwards".',
-        );
-      } else if (revealOrder === 'backwards') {
+      if (revealOrder === 'backwards') {
         console.error(
           'The rendering order of <SuspenseList revealOrder="backwards"> is changing. ' +
             'To be future compatible you must specify revealOrder="legacy_unstable-backwards" instead.',
@@ -3314,18 +3309,7 @@ function validateTailOptions(
     const cacheKey = tailMode == null ? 'null' : tailMode;
     if (!didWarnAboutTailOptions[cacheKey]) {
       if (tailMode == null) {
-        if (
-          revealOrder === 'forwards' ||
-          revealOrder === 'backwards' ||
-          revealOrder === 'unstable_legacy-backwards'
-        ) {
-          didWarnAboutTailOptions[cacheKey] = true;
-          console.error(
-            'The default for the <SuspenseList tail="..."> prop is changing. ' +
-              'To be future compatible you must explictly specify either ' +
-              '"visible" (the current default), "collapsed" or "hidden".',
-          );
-        }
+        // The default tail is now "hidden".
       } else if (
         tailMode !== 'visible' &&
         tailMode !== 'collapsed' &&
@@ -3338,6 +3322,7 @@ function validateTailOptions(
           tailMode,
         );
       } else if (
+        revealOrder != null &&
         revealOrder !== 'forwards' &&
         revealOrder !== 'backwards' &&
         revealOrder !== 'unstable_legacy-backwards'
@@ -3345,7 +3330,7 @@ function validateTailOptions(
         didWarnAboutTailOptions[cacheKey] = true;
         console.error(
           '<SuspenseList tail="%s" /> is only valid if revealOrder is ' +
-            '"forwards" or "backwards". ' +
+            '"forwards" (default) or "backwards". ' +
             'Did you mean to specify revealOrder="forwards"?',
           tailMode,
         );
@@ -3449,30 +3434,6 @@ function updateSuspenseListComponent(
     workInProgress.memoizedState = null;
   } else {
     switch (revealOrder) {
-      case 'forwards': {
-        const lastContentRow = findLastContentRow(workInProgress.child);
-        let tail;
-        if (lastContentRow === null) {
-          // The whole list is part of the tail.
-          // TODO: We could fast path by just rendering the tail now.
-          tail = workInProgress.child;
-          workInProgress.child = null;
-        } else {
-          // Disconnect the tail rows after the content row.
-          // We're going to render them separately later.
-          tail = lastContentRow.sibling;
-          lastContentRow.sibling = null;
-        }
-        initSuspenseListRenderState(
-          workInProgress,
-          false, // isBackwards
-          tail,
-          lastContentRow,
-          tailMode,
-          treeForkCount,
-        );
-        break;
-      }
       case 'backwards':
       case 'unstable_legacy-backwards': {
         // We're going to find the first row that has existing content.
@@ -3517,10 +3478,37 @@ function updateSuspenseListComponent(
         );
         break;
       }
-      default: {
-        // The default reveal order is the same as not having
+      case 'independent': {
+        // The "independent" reveal order is the same as not having
         // a boundary.
         workInProgress.memoizedState = null;
+        break;
+      }
+      // The default is now forwards.
+      case 'forwards':
+      default: {
+        const lastContentRow = findLastContentRow(workInProgress.child);
+        let tail;
+        if (lastContentRow === null) {
+          // The whole list is part of the tail.
+          // TODO: We could fast path by just rendering the tail now.
+          tail = workInProgress.child;
+          workInProgress.child = null;
+        } else {
+          // Disconnect the tail rows after the content row.
+          // We're going to render them separately later.
+          tail = lastContentRow.sibling;
+          lastContentRow.sibling = null;
+        }
+        initSuspenseListRenderState(
+          workInProgress,
+          false, // isBackwards
+          tail,
+          lastContentRow,
+          tailMode,
+          treeForkCount,
+        );
+        break;
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCompleteWork.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCompleteWork.js
index d3abcb466e585..5ccf1b2ac7ac8 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCompleteWork.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCompleteWork.js
@@ -698,7 +698,11 @@ function cutOffTailIfNeeded(
     return;
   }
   switch (renderState.tailMode) {
-    case 'hidden': {
+    case 'visible': {
+      // Everything should remain as it was.
+      break;
+    }
+    case 'collapsed': {
       // Any insertions at the end of the tail list after this point
       // should be invisible. If there are already mounted boundaries
       // anything before them are not considered for collapsing.
@@ -716,7 +720,13 @@ function cutOffTailIfNeeded(
       // last rendered item.
       if (lastTailNode === null) {
         // All remaining items in the tail are insertions.
-        renderState.tail = null;
+        if (!hasRenderedATailFallback && renderState.tail !== null) {
+          // We suspended during the head. We want to show at least one
+          // row at the tail. So we'll keep on and cut off the rest.
+          renderState.tail.sibling = null;
+        } else {
+          renderState.tail = null;
+        }
       } else {
         // Detach the insertion after the last node that was already
         // inserted.
@@ -724,7 +734,9 @@ function cutOffTailIfNeeded(
       }
       break;
     }
-    case 'collapsed': {
+    // Hidden is now the default.
+    case 'hidden':
+    default: {
       // Any insertions at the end of the tail list after this point
       // should be invisible. If there are already mounted boundaries
       // anything before them are not considered for collapsing.
@@ -742,13 +754,7 @@ function cutOffTailIfNeeded(
       // last rendered item.
       if (lastTailNode === null) {
         // All remaining items in the tail are insertions.
-        if (!hasRenderedATailFallback && renderState.tail !== null) {
-          // We suspended during the head. We want to show at least one
-          // row at the tail. So we'll keep on and cut off the rest.
-          renderState.tail.sibling = null;
-        } else {
-          renderState.tail = null;
-        }
+        renderState.tail = null;
       } else {
         // Detach the insertion after the last node that was already
         // inserted.
@@ -1795,7 +1801,8 @@ function completeWork(
             // This might have been modified.
             if (
               renderState.tail === null &&
-              renderState.tailMode === 'hidden' &&
+              renderState.tailMode !== 'collapsed' &&
+              renderState.tailMode !== 'visible' &&
               !renderedTail.alternate &&
               !getIsHydrating() // We don't cut it if we're hydrating.
             ) {
diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberSuspenseComponent.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberSuspenseComponent.js
index 64ab4f29fcd14..695c36971546d 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberSuspenseComponent.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberSuspenseComponent.js
@@ -79,10 +79,7 @@ export function findFirstSuspended(row: Fiber): null | Fiber {
       node.tag === SuspenseListComponent &&
       // Independent revealOrder can't be trusted because it doesn't
       // keep track of whether it suspended or not.
-      (node.memoizedProps.revealOrder === 'forwards' ||
-        node.memoizedProps.revealOrder === 'backwards' ||
-        node.memoizedProps.revealOrder === 'unstable_legacy-backwards' ||
-        node.memoizedProps.revealOrder === 'together')
+      node.memoizedProps.revealOrder !== 'independent'
     ) {
       const didSuspend = (node.flags & DidCapture) !== NoFlags;
       if (didSuspend) {
diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/__tests__/ReactSuspenseList-test.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/__tests__/ReactSuspenseList-test.js
index bfbf165dbaba6..34600b7a67283 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/__tests__/ReactSuspenseList-test.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/__tests__/ReactSuspenseList-test.js
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ describe('ReactSuspenseList', () => {
   });
 
   // @gate enableSuspenseList
-  it('warns if no revealOrder is specified', async () => {
+  it('behaves as revealOrder=forwards by default', async () => {
     const A = createAsyncText('A');
     const B = createAsyncText('B');
     const C = createAsyncText('C');
@@ -239,54 +239,36 @@ describe('ReactSuspenseList', () => {
       );
     }
 
+    ReactNoop.render(<Foo />);
+
+    await waitForAll(['Suspend! [A]', 'Loading A']);
+
+    expect(ReactNoop).toMatchRenderedOutput(null);
+
     await A.resolve();
 
-    ReactNoop.render(<Foo />);
+    await waitForAll(['A', 'Suspend! [B]', 'Loading B']);
 
-    await waitForAll([
-      'A',
-      'Suspend! [B]',
-      'Loading B',
-      'Suspend! [C]',
-      'Loading C',
-      // pre-warming
-      'Suspend! [B]',
-      'Suspend! [C]',
-    ]);
+    // Incremental loading is suspended.
+    jest.advanceTimersByTime(500);
 
-    assertConsoleErrorDev([
-      'The default for the <SuspenseList revealOrder="..."> prop is changing. ' +
-        'To be future compatible you must explictly specify either ' +
-        '"independent" (the current default), "together", "forwards" or "legacy_unstable-backwards".' +
-        '\n    in SuspenseList (at **)' +
-        '\n    in Foo (at **)',
-    ]);
+    expect(ReactNoop).toMatchRenderedOutput(<span>A</span>);
 
-    expect(ReactNoop).toMatchRenderedOutput(
-      <>
-        <span>A</span>
-        <span>Loading B</span>
-        <span>Loading C</span>
-      </>,
-    );
+    await act(() => B.resolve());
+    assertLog(['B', 'Suspend! [C]', 'Loading C']);
 
-    await act(() => C.resolve());
-    assertLog(
-      gate('alwaysThrottleRetries')
-        ? ['Suspend! [B]', 'C', 'Suspend! [B]']
-        : ['C'],
-    );
+    // Incremental loading is suspended.
+    jest.advanceTimersByTime(500);
 
     expect(ReactNoop).toMatchRenderedOutput(
       <>
         <span>A</span>
-        <span>Loading B</span>
-        <span>C</span>
+        <span>B</span>
       </>,
     );
 
-    await act(() => B.resolve());
-    assertLog(['B']);
+    await act(() => C.resolve());
+    assertLog(['C']);
 
     expect(ReactNoop).toMatchRenderedOutput(
       <>
@@ -1699,26 +1681,65 @@ describe('ReactSuspenseList', () => {
   });
 
   // @gate enableSuspenseList
-  it('warns if no tail option is specified', async () => {
+  it('behaves as tail=hidden if no tail option is specified', async () => {
+    const A = createAsyncText('A');
+    const B = createAsyncText('B');
+    const C = createAsyncText('C');
+
     function Foo() {
       return (
         <SuspenseList revealOrder="forwards">
-          <Suspense fallback="Loading">A</Suspense>
-          <Suspense fallback="Loading">B</Suspense>
+          <Suspense fallback={<Text text="Loading A" />}>
+            <A />
+          </Suspense>
+          <Suspense fallback={<Text text="Loading B" />}>
+            <B />
+          </Suspense>
+          <Suspense fallback={<Text text="Loading C" />}>
+            <C />
+          </Suspense>
         </SuspenseList>
       );
     }
 
-    await act(() => {
-      ReactNoop.render(<Foo />);
-    });
-    assertConsoleErrorDev([
-      'The default for the <SuspenseList tail="..."> prop is changing. ' +
-        'To be future compatible you must explictly specify either ' +
-        '"visible" (the current default), "collapsed" or "hidden".' +
-        '\n    in SuspenseList (at **)' +
-        '\n    in Foo (at **)',
-    ]);
+    ReactNoop.render(<Foo />);
+
+    await waitForAll(['Suspend! [A]', 'Loading A']);
+
+    expect(ReactNoop).toMatchRenderedOutput(null);
+
+    await A.resolve();
+
+    await waitForAll(['A', 'Suspend! [B]', 'Loading B']);
+
+    // Incremental loading is suspended.
+    jest.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+
+    expect(ReactNoop).toMatchRenderedOutput(<span>A</span>);
+
+    await act(() => B.resolve());
+    assertLog(['B', 'Suspend! [C]', 'Loading C']);
+
+    // Incremental loading is suspended.
+    jest.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+
+    expect(ReactNoop).toMatchRenderedOutput(
+      <>
+        <span>A</span>
+        <span>B</span>
+      </>,
+    );
+
+    await act(() => C.resolve());
+    assertLog(['C']);
+
+    expect(ReactNoop).toMatchRenderedOutput(
+      <>
+        <span>A</span>
+        <span>B</span>
+        <span>C</span>
+      </>,
+    );
   });
 
   // @gate enableSuspenseList
@@ -1758,7 +1779,7 @@ describe('ReactSuspenseList', () => {
     });
     assertConsoleErrorDev([
       '<SuspenseList tail="collapsed" /> is only valid if ' +
-        'revealOrder is "forwards" or "backwards". ' +
+        'revealOrder is "forwards" (default) or "backwards". ' +
         'Did you mean to specify revealOrder="forwards"?' +
         '\n    in SuspenseList (at **)' +
         '\n    in Foo (at **)',
diff --git a/packages/react-server/src/ReactFizzServer.js b/packages/react-server/src/ReactFizzServer.js
index 07408d64e8817..156bacbe1480c 100644
--- a/packages/react-server/src/ReactFizzServer.js
+++ b/packages/react-server/src/ReactFizzServer.js
@@ -1913,7 +1913,7 @@ function renderSuspenseListRows(
   task: Task,
   keyPath: KeyNode,
   rows: Array<ReactNodeList>,
-  revealOrder: 'forwards' | 'backwards' | 'unstable_legacy-backwards',
+  revealOrder: void | 'forwards' | 'backwards' | 'unstable_legacy-backwards',
 ): void {
   // This is a fork of renderChildrenArray that's aware of tracking rows.
   const prevKeyPath = task.keyPath;
@@ -2098,11 +2098,7 @@ function renderSuspenseList(
   const revealOrder: SuspenseListRevealOrder = props.revealOrder;
   // TODO: Support tail hidden/collapsed modes.
   // const tailMode: SuspenseListTailMode = props.tail;
-  if (
-    revealOrder === 'forwards' ||
-    revealOrder === 'backwards' ||
-    revealOrder === 'unstable_legacy-backwards'
-  ) {
+  if (revealOrder !== 'independent' && revealOrder !== 'together') {
     // For ordered reveal, we need to produce rows from the children.
     if (isArray(children)) {
       renderSuspenseListRows(request, task, keyPath, children, revealOrder);