diff --git a/custom/conf/app.example.ini b/custom/conf/app.example.ini
index dc273ced80..2c083dd9eb 100644
--- a/custom/conf/app.example.ini
+++ b/custom/conf/app.example.ini
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
 APP_NAME = Gitea: Git with a cup of tea
 ; Change it if you run locally
 RUN_USER = git
-; Either "dev", "prod" or "test", default is "dev"
-RUN_MODE = dev
+; Application run mode, affects performance and debugging. Either "dev", "prod" or "test", default is "prod"
+RUN_MODE = prod
 
 [project]
 ; Default templates for project boards
diff --git a/docker/root/etc/s6/gitea/setup b/docker/root/etc/s6/gitea/setup
index 892fa7fd2b..4449420b99 100755
--- a/docker/root/etc/s6/gitea/setup
+++ b/docker/root/etc/s6/gitea/setup
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ if [ ! -f ${GITEA_CUSTOM}/conf/app.ini ]; then
 
     # Substitude the environment variables in the template
     APP_NAME=${APP_NAME:-"Gitea: Git with a cup of tea"} \
-    RUN_MODE=${RUN_MODE:-"dev"} \
+    RUN_MODE=${RUN_MODE:-"prod"} \
     DOMAIN=${DOMAIN:-"localhost"} \
     SSH_DOMAIN=${SSH_DOMAIN:-"localhost"} \
     HTTP_PORT=${HTTP_PORT:-"3000"} \
diff --git a/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md b/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md
index bdd872b0bf..28c957c8d4 100644
--- a/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md
+++ b/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md
@@ -36,9 +36,7 @@ Values containing `#` or `;` must be quoted using `` ` `` or `"""`.
 - `APP_NAME`: **Gitea: Git with a cup of tea**: Application name, used in the page title.
 - `RUN_USER`: **git**: The user Gitea will run as. This should be a dedicated system
    (non-user) account. Setting this incorrectly will cause Gitea to not start.
-- `RUN_MODE`: **dev**: For performance and other purposes, change this to `prod` when
-   deployed to a production environment. The installation process will set this to `prod`
-   automatically. \[prod, dev, test\]
+- `RUN_MODE`: **prod**: Application run mode, affects performance and debugging. Either "dev", "prod" or "test".
 
 ## Repository (`repository`)
 
diff --git a/docs/content/doc/installation/with-docker.en-us.md b/docs/content/doc/installation/with-docker.en-us.md
index 7d57c24975..2f38452150 100644
--- a/docs/content/doc/installation/with-docker.en-us.md
+++ b/docs/content/doc/installation/with-docker.en-us.md
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ You can configure some of Gitea's settings via environment variables:
 (Default values are provided in **bold**)
 
 * `APP_NAME`: **"Gitea: Git with a cup of tea"**: Application name, used in the page title.
-* `RUN_MODE`: **dev**: For performance and other purposes, change this to `prod` when deployed to a production environment.
+* `RUN_MODE`: **prod**: Application run mode, affects performance and debugging. Either "dev", "prod" or "test".
 * `DOMAIN`: **localhost**: Domain name of this server, used for the displayed http clone URL in Gitea's UI.
 * `SSH_DOMAIN`: **localhost**: Domain name of this server, used for the displayed ssh clone URL in Gitea's UI. If the install page is enabled, SSH Domain Server takes DOMAIN value in the form (which overwrite this setting on save).
 * `SSH_PORT`: **22**: SSH port displayed in clone URL.
diff --git a/routers/init.go b/routers/init.go
index 793033f4a4..faa84fb0c9 100644
--- a/routers/init.go
+++ b/routers/init.go
@@ -43,12 +43,14 @@ import (
 
 func checkRunMode() {
 	switch setting.Cfg.Section("").Key("RUN_MODE").String() {
-	case "prod":
+	case "dev":
+		git.Debug = true
+	case "test":
+		git.Debug = true
+	default:
 		macaron.Env = macaron.PROD
 		macaron.ColorLog = false
 		setting.ProdMode = true
-	default:
-		git.Debug = true
 	}
 	log.Info("Run Mode: %s", strings.Title(macaron.Env))
 }