diff --git a/src/cairo-pdf-surface.c b/src/cairo-pdf-surface.c
index ae6236a0d..f68b69660 100644
--- a/src/cairo-pdf-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-pdf-surface.c
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ _cairo_pdf_surface_create_for_stream_internal (cairo_output_stream_t	*output,
         goto BAIL1;
     }
 
-    surface->compress_content = 0;
+    surface->compress_content = TRUE;
     surface->pdf_stream.active = FALSE;
     surface->pdf_stream.old_output = NULL;
     surface->group_stream.active = FALSE;