diff --git a/include/usage.h b/include/usage.h
index 2e5321306..7e72ad03a 100644
--- a/include/usage.h
+++ b/include/usage.h
@@ -3308,7 +3308,7 @@
      "\n	-l,--local	 Clock is set to local time" \
      "\n	-u,--utc	 Clock is set to UTC time" \
      "\n	-d,--device=DEV	 Specify the RTC device" \
-     "\n	-m,--mode=MODE	 Set the sleep state (default: standby)" \
+     "\n	-m,--mode=MODE	 Set the sleep state (default: suspend)" \
      "\n	-s,--seconds=SEC Set the timeout in SEC seconds from now" \
      "\n	-t,--time=TIME	 Set the timeout to TIME seconds from epoch" \
 	) \
diff --git a/util-linux/rtcwake.c b/util-linux/rtcwake.c
index 2b2634f0b..515f812b3 100644
--- a/util-linux/rtcwake.c
+++ b/util-linux/rtcwake.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 #define SYS_RTC_PATH   "/sys/class/rtc/%s/device/power/wakeup"
 #define SYS_POWER_PATH "/sys/power/state"
-#define DEFAULT_MODE   "standby"
+#define DEFAULT_MODE   "suspend"
 
 static time_t rtc_time;