diff --git a/client/src/schema/schema.ts b/client/src/schema/schema.ts
index 891b4bd83eb0..2e3ab870bf65 100644
--- a/client/src/schema/schema.ts
+++ b/client/src/schema/schema.ts
@@ -2446,7 +2446,7 @@ export interface components {
             /**
              * Copy Elements
              * @description If the source is a collection, whether to copy child HDAs into the target history as well, defaults to False but this is less than ideal and may be changed in future releases.
-             * @default false
+             * @default true
              */
             copy_elements?: boolean;
             /**
@@ -2616,7 +2616,7 @@ export interface components {
             /**
              * Copy Elements
              * @description Whether to create a copy of the source HDAs for the new collection.
-             * @default false
+             * @default true
              */
             copy_elements?: boolean;
             /**
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/schema/schema.py b/lib/galaxy/schema/schema.py
index ca0d2b03210a..3ecfb60e3043 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/schema/schema.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/schema/schema.py
@@ -1366,7 +1366,7 @@ class CreateNewCollectionPayload(Model):
         description="Whether to mark the original HDAs as hidden.",
     )
     copy_elements: Optional[bool] = Field(
-        default=False,
+        default=True,
         title="Copy Elements",
         description="Whether to create a copy of the source HDAs for the new collection.",
     )
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/services/history_contents.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/services/history_contents.py
index 0254f92001f7..18b5132a772b 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/services/history_contents.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/services/history_contents.py
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ class CreateHistoryContentPayloadFromCollection(CreateHistoryContentPayloadFromC
         description="TODO",
     )
     copy_elements: Optional[bool] = Field(
-        default=False,
+        default=True,
         title="Copy Elements",
         description=(
             "If the source is a collection, whether to copy child HDAs into the target "