diff --git a/common/configopts.c b/common/configopts.c
index e69c2237f..17b2b588e 100644
--- a/common/configopts.c
+++ b/common/configopts.c
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ cfg_opt_t tag_opts[] =
     /** Default layout for this tag. */
     CFG_STR((char *) "layout", (char *) "tile", CFGF_NONE),
     /** Default master width factor for this tag. */
-    CFG_FLOAT((char *) "mwfact", 0.5, CFGF_NONE),
+    CFG_FLOAT((char *) "mwfact", 0.618, CFGF_NONE),
     /** Default number of master windows for this tag. */
     CFG_INT((char *) "nmaster", 1, CFGF_NONE),
     /** Default number of window columns for this tag. */
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 0176b0a1a..c2f9869c7 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ config_parse_screen(cfg_t *cfg, int screen)
     else
     {
         warn("fatal: no tags found in configuration file\n");
-        tag = tag_new("default", virtscreen->layouts, 0.5, 1, 1);
+        tag = tag_new("default", virtscreen->layouts, 0.618, 1, 1);
         tag_push_to_screen(tag, screen);
     }
 
diff --git a/tag.c b/tag.c
index f7acbcf44..9de18a69d 100644
--- a/tag.c
+++ b/tag.c
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ uicb_tag_create(int screen, char *arg)
     if(!a_strlen(arg))
         return;
 
-    tag = tag_new(arg, globalconf.screens[screen].layouts, 0.5, 1, 1);
+    tag = tag_new(arg, globalconf.screens[screen].layouts, 0.618, 1, 1);
     tag_append_to_screen(tag, screen);
 }