diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 2faf4516..97a92d03 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -8,8 +8,13 @@ This project adheres to `Semantic Versioning <https://semver.org/>`_.
 
 `2.1.0-dev`_ (unreleased)
 -------------------------
-* Add ``--path-as-is`` to bypass dot segment (``/../`` or ``/./``) URL squashing.
-* Fixed ``--form`` file upload mixed with redirected ``stdin`` error handling.
+* Added ``--path-as-is`` to bypass dot segment (``/../`` or ``/./``)
+  URL squashing (#895).
+* Changed the default value ``Accept`` header value for JSON requests from
+  ``application/json, */*`` to ``application/json, */*;q=0.5``
+  to clearly indicate preference (#488).
+* Fixed ``--form`` file upload mixed with redirected ``stdin`` error handling
+  (#840).
 
 
 `2.0.0`_ (2020-01-12)
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 66cfb812..b4864799 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ Simple example:
 .. code-block:: http
 
     PUT / HTTP/1.1
-    Accept: application/json, */*
+    Accept: application/json, */*;q=0.5
     Accept-Encoding: gzip, deflate
     Content-Type: application/json
     Host: httpbin.org
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ both of which can be overwritten:
 
 ================    =======================================
 ``Content-Type``    ``application/json``
-``Accept``          ``application/json, */*``
+``Accept``          ``application/json, */*;q=0.5``
 ================    =======================================
 
 
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ Explicit JSON
 You can use ``--json, -j`` to explicitly set ``Accept``
 to ``application/json`` regardless of whether you are sending data
 (it's a shortcut for setting the header via the usual header notation:
-``http url Accept:'application/json, */*'``). Additionally,
+``http url Accept:'application/json, */*;q=0.5'``). Additionally,
 HTTPie will try to detect JSON responses even when the
 ``Content-Type`` is incorrectly ``text/plain`` or unknown.
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ fields using ``=@`` and ``:=@``:
 .. code-block:: http
 
     PUT /person/1 HTTP/1.1
-    Accept: application/json, */*
+    Accept: application/json, */*;q=0.5
     Content-Type: application/json
     Host: httpbin.org
 
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ documentation examples:
 
     $ http --verbose PUT httpbin.org/put hello=world
     PUT /put HTTP/1.1
-    Accept: application/json, */*
+    Accept: application/json, */*;q=0.5
     Accept-Encoding: gzip, deflate
     Content-Type: application/json
     Host: httpbin.org
diff --git a/httpie/client.py b/httpie/client.py
index 6c412e73..e3c6fa39 100644
--- a/httpie/client.py
+++ b/httpie/client.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ except (ImportError, AttributeError):
 
 FORM_CONTENT_TYPE = 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded; charset=utf-8'
 JSON_CONTENT_TYPE = 'application/json'
-JSON_ACCEPT = f'{JSON_CONTENT_TYPE}, */*'
+JSON_ACCEPT = f'{JSON_CONTENT_TYPE}, */*;q=0.5'
 DEFAULT_UA = f'HTTPie/{__version__}'
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_defaults.py b/tests/test_defaults.py
index 10221fe4..5489c193 100644
--- a/tests/test_defaults.py
+++ b/tests/test_defaults.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ def test_default_headers_case_insensitive(httpbin):
     assert 'Content-Type' not in r
 
 
+# noinspection PyPep8Naming
 class TestImplicitHTTPMethod:
     def test_implicit_GET(self, httpbin):
         r = http(httpbin.url + '/get')
@@ -51,9 +52,9 @@ class TestImplicitHTTPMethod:
 
 class TestAutoContentTypeAndAcceptHeaders:
     """
-    Test that Accept and Content-Type correctly defaults to JSON,
-    but can still be overridden. The same with Content-Type when --form
-    -f is used.
+    Test that `Accept` and `Content-Type` correctly default to JSON,
+    but can still be overridden. The same with Content-Type when `--form`
+    `-f` is used.
 
     """
 
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ class TestAutoContentTypeAndAcceptHeaders:
         assert r.json['headers']['Accept'] == JSON_ACCEPT
         assert r.json['headers']['Content-Type'] == 'application/json'
 
-    def test_POST_explicit_JSON_auto_JSON_accept(self, httpbin):
+    def test_POST_explicit_JSON_JSON_ACCEPT(self, httpbin):
         r = http('--json', 'POST', httpbin.url + '/post')
         assert HTTP_OK in r
         assert r.json['headers']['Accept'] == JSON_ACCEPT