diff --git a/Shorewall-core/configure b/Shorewall-core/configure
index adb4f1bad..e5d9b9a0e 100755
--- a/Shorewall-core/configure
+++ b/Shorewall-core/configure
@@ -235,7 +235,8 @@ for on in \
     SPARSE \
     ANNOTATED \
     VARLIB \
-    VARDIR
+    VARDIR \
+    DEFAULT_PAGER
 do
     echo "$on=${options[${on}]}"
     echo "$on=${options[${on}]}" >> shorewallrc
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/configure.pl b/Shorewall-core/configure.pl
index 387d07b9c..7b4b62057 100755
--- a/Shorewall-core/configure.pl
+++ b/Shorewall-core/configure.pl
@@ -209,7 +209,8 @@ for ( qw/ HOST
 	  SPARSE
 	  ANNOTATED
 	  VARLIB
-	  VARDIR / ) {
+	  VARDIR
+          DEFAULT_PAGER / ) {
 
     my $val = $options{$_} || '';
 
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/lib.cli b/Shorewall-core/lib.cli
index 5015936b4..4b3e0389f 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/lib.cli
+++ b/Shorewall-core/lib.cli
@@ -3898,6 +3898,8 @@ get_config() {
 
     g_loopback=$(find_loopback_interfaces)
 
+    [ -n "$PAGER" ] || PAGER=$DEFAULT_PAGER
+
     if [ -n "$PAGER" -a -t 1 ]; then
 	case $PAGER in
 	    /*)
@@ -3905,7 +3907,7 @@ get_config() {
 		[ -f "$g_pager" ] || fatal_error "PAGER=$PAGER does not exist"
 		;;
 	    *)
-		g_pager=$(mywhich pager 2> /dev/null)
+		g_pager=$(mywhich $PAGER 2> /dev/null)
 		[ -n "$g_pager" ] || fatal_error "PAGER=$PAGER does not exist"
 		;;
 	esac
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.apple b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.apple
index 92ea711da..fc20486f0 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.apple
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.apple
@@ -19,3 +19,4 @@ SERVICEFILE=                           #Unused on OS X
 SYSCONFDIR=                            #Unused on OS X
 SPARSE=Yes                             #Only install $PRODUCT/$PRODUCT.conf in $CONFDIR.
 VARLIB=/var/lib                        #Unused on OS X
+DEFAULT_PAGER=			       #Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.archlinux b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.archlinux
index d0a2541cb..68a694410 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.archlinux
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.archlinux
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ SERVICEFILE=                           #Name of the file to install in $SYSTEMD.
 SPARSE=                                #If non-empty, only install $PRODUCT/$PRODUCT.conf in $CONFDIR
 VARLIB=/var/lib                        #Directory where product variable data is stored.
 VARDIR=${VARLIB}/$PRODUCT              #Directory where product variable data is stored.
+DEFAULT_PAGER=			       #Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.cygwin b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.cygwin
index 4709387f6..371c135ea 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.cygwin
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.cygwin
@@ -19,3 +19,4 @@ SERVICEFILE=                          #Unused on Cygwin
 SYSCONFDIR=                           #Unused on Cygwin
 SPARSE=Yes                            #Only install $PRODUCT/$PRODUCT.conf in $CONFDIR.
 VARLIB=/var/lib                       #Unused on Cygwin
+DEFAULT_PAGER=			      #Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.debian.systemd b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.debian.systemd
index 61fa53c57..184573101 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.debian.systemd
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.debian.systemd
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ SERVICEDIR=/lib/systemd/system		#Directory where .service files are installed (s
 SPARSE=Yes				#If non-empty, only install $PRODUCT/$PRODUCT.conf in $CONFDIR
 VARLIB=/var/lib				#Directory where product variable data is stored.
 VARDIR=${VARLIB}/$PRODUCT		#Directory where product variable data is stored.
+DEFAULT_PAGER=/usr/bin/less		#Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.debian.sysvinit b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.debian.sysvinit
index 0bd9e5a48..9396e9fc8 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.debian.sysvinit
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.debian.sysvinit
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ SERVICEDIR=				#Directory where .service files are installed (systems running sy
 SPARSE=Yes                              #If non-empty, only install $PRODUCT/$PRODUCT.conf in $CONFDIR
 VARLIB=/var/lib                         #Directory where product variable data is stored.
 VARDIR=${VARLIB}/$PRODUCT               #Directory where product variable data is stored.
+DEFAULT_PAGER=/usr/bin/less		#Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.default b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.default
index 588f04f32..70395ed2f 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.default
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.default
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ SYSCONFDIR=                             #Directory where SysV init parameter fil
 SPARSE=                                 #If non-empty, only install $PRODUCT/$PRODUCT.conf in $CONFDIR
 VARLIB=/var/lib                         #Directory where product variable data is stored.
 VARDIR=${VARLIB}/$PRODUCT               #Directory where product variable data is stored.
+DEFAULT_PAGER=				#Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.openwrt b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.openwrt
index 7149aeac4..4c66f357b 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.openwrt
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.openwrt
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ SERVICEFILE=				#Name of the file to install in $SYSTEMD. Default is $PRODUCT.se
 SPARSE=                                 #If non-empty, only install $PRODUCT/$PRODUCT.conf in $CONFDIR
 VARLIB=/lib                             #Directory where product variable data is stored.
 VARDIR=${VARLIB}/$PRODUCT               #Directory where product variable data is stored.
+DEFAULT_PAGER=				#Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.redhat b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.redhat
index 69e3a21d2..122891c21 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.redhat
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.redhat
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ SYSCONFDIR=/etc/sysconfig/              #Directory where SysV init parameter fil
 SPARSE=                                 #If non-empty, only install $PRODUCT/$PRODUCT.conf in $CONFDIR
 VARLIB=/var/lib                         #Directory where product variable data is stored.
 VARDIR=${VARLIB}/$PRODUCT               #Directory where product variable data is stored.
+DEFAULT_PAGER=				#Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.slackware b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.slackware
index 7165efade..a52bf8233 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.slackware
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.slackware
@@ -22,3 +22,4 @@ SYSCONFDIR=                                #Name of the directory where SysV ini
 ANNOTATED=                                 #If non-empty, install annotated configuration files
 VARLIB=/var/lib                            #Directory where product variable data is stored.
 VARDIR=${VARLIB}/$PRODUCT                  #Directory where product variable data is stored.
+DEFAULT_PAGER=				   #Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.suse b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.suse
index 9e0b45b9b..e529f3d12 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.suse
+++ b/Shorewall-core/shorewallrc.suse
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ SYSCONFDIR=/etc/sysconfig/                            #Directory where SysV init
 SPARSE=                                               #If non-empty, only install $PRODUCT/$PRODUCT.conf in $CONFDIR
 VARLIB=/var/lib                                       #Directory where persistent product data is stored.
 VARDIR=${VARLIB}/$PRODUCT                             #Directory where product variable data is stored.
+DEFAULT_PAGER=				   	      #Pager to use if none specified in shorewall[6].conf
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Config.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Config.pm
index a485e85a2..f4a5db690 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Config.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Config.pm
@@ -3855,6 +3855,8 @@ sub process_shorewallrc( $$ ) {
     } elsif ( supplied $shorewallrc{VARLIB} ) {
 	$shorewallrc{VARDIR} = "$shorewallrc{VARLIB}/$product";
     }
+
+    $shorewallrc{DEFAULT_PAGER} = '' unless supplied $shorewallrc{DEFAULT_PAGER};
 }
 
 #
@@ -5228,7 +5230,7 @@ sub update_config_file( $ ) {
     update_default( 'USE_DEFAULT_RT', 'No' );
     update_default( 'EXPORTMODULES',  'No' );
     update_default( 'RESTART',        'reload' );
-    update_default( 'PAGER',          '' );
+    update_default( 'PAGER',          $shorewallrc1{DEFAULT_PAGER} );
 
     my $fn;
 
diff --git a/Shorewall/lib.cli-std b/Shorewall/lib.cli-std
index 280f773bc..8cc91b555 100644
--- a/Shorewall/lib.cli-std
+++ b/Shorewall/lib.cli-std
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@ get_config() {
 
     g_loopback=$(find_loopback_interfaces)
 
+    [ -n "$PAGER" ] || PAGER=$DEFAULT_PAGER
+
     if [ -n "$PAGER" -a -t 1 ]; then
 	case $PAGER in
 	    /*)
@@ -323,7 +325,7 @@ get_config() {
 		[ -f "$g_pager" ] || fatal_error "PAGER $PAGER does not exist"
 		;;
 	    *)
-		g_pager=$(mywhich pager 2> /dev/null)
+		g_pager=$(mywhich $PAGER 2> /dev/null)
 		[ -n "$g_pager" ] || fatal_error "PAGER $PAGER not found"
 		;;
 	esac
diff --git a/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml b/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
index a7dab5393..c007f24c3 100644
--- a/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
+++ b/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
@@ -2009,6 +2009,9 @@ LOG:info:,bar                        net                    fw</programlisting>
           When PAGER is given, the output of verbose <command>status</command>
           commands and the <command>dump</command> command are piped through
           the named program when the output file is a terminal.</para>
+
+          <para>Beginning with Shorewall 5.0.12, the default value of this
+          option is the DEFAULT_PAGER setting in shorewallrc.</para>
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
diff --git a/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml b/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml
index 2789b656c..b9ac4b0ce 100644
--- a/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml
+++ b/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml
@@ -1734,6 +1734,9 @@ LOG:info:,bar                        net                    fw</programlisting>
           When PAGER is given, the output of verbose <command>status</command>
           commands and the <command>dump</command> command are piped through
           the named program when the output file is a terminal.</para>
+
+          <para>Beginning with Shorewall 5.0.12, the default value of this
+          option is the DEFAULT_PAGER setting in shorewallrc.</para>
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>