diff --git a/ietf/group/migrations/0023_use_milestone_dates_default_to_true.py b/ietf/group/migrations/0023_use_milestone_dates_default_to_true.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7e9433e26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ietf/group/migrations/0023_use_milestone_dates_default_to_true.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Copyright The IETF Trust 2020, All Rights Reserved
+# Generated by Django 1.11.28 on 2020-02-11 07:47
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('group', '0022_populate_uses_milestone_dates'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='group',
+            name='uses_milestone_dates',
+            field=models.BooleanField(default=True),
+        ),
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='grouphistory',
+            name='uses_milestone_dates',
+            field=models.BooleanField(default=True),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/ietf/group/models.py b/ietf/group/models.py
index 659920952..1232ce8a6 100644
--- a/ietf/group/models.py
+++ b/ietf/group/models.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class GroupInfo(models.Model):
     unused_states = models.ManyToManyField('doc.State', help_text="Document states that have been disabled for the group.", blank=True)
     unused_tags = models.ManyToManyField(DocTagName, help_text="Document tags that have been disabled for the group.", blank=True)
 
-    uses_milestone_dates = models.BooleanField(default=False)
+    uses_milestone_dates = models.BooleanField(default=True)
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.name
diff --git a/ietf/group/tests_info.py b/ietf/group/tests_info.py
index 0dfa3405e..514e0d636 100644
--- a/ietf/group/tests_info.py
+++ b/ietf/group/tests_info.py
@@ -1145,6 +1145,28 @@ class DatelessMilestoneTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(r.status_code, 302)
         self.assertEqual(group.groupmilestone_set.count(),1)
 
+    def test_can_switch_date_types_for_initial_charter(self):
+        ad_role = RoleFactory(group__type_id='area',name_id='ad')
+        ms = DatedGroupMilestoneFactory(group__parent=ad_role.group)
+        ad = ad_role.person   
+        ms.group.charter = CharterFactory(group=ms.group)
+        
+        url = urlreverse('ietf.group.milestones.edit_milestones;charter', kwargs=dict(acronym=ms.group.acronym))
+        login_testing_unauthorized(self, ad.user.username, url)
+
+        r = self.client.get(url)
+        self.assertEqual(r.status_code, 200)
+        q = PyQuery(r.content)
+        self.assertEqual(q('#switch-date-use-form button').attr('style'), 'display:none;')     
+
+        ms.group.charter.rev='00-00'
+        ms.group.charter.save()
+        
+        r = self.client.get(url)
+        self.assertEqual(r.status_code, 200)
+        q = PyQuery(r.content)
+        self.assertEqual(q('#switch-date-use-form button').attr('style'), None)          
+
     def test_edit_and_reorder_milestone(self):
         role = RoleFactory(name_id='chair',group__uses_milestone_dates=False)
         group = role.group
diff --git a/ietf/templates/group/edit_milestones.html b/ietf/templates/group/edit_milestones.html
index 18926ce73..07e4af093 100644
--- a/ietf/templates/group/edit_milestones.html
+++ b/ietf/templates/group/edit_milestones.html
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     {% if can_change_uses_milestone_dates %}
       <div class="col-sm-12">
         <form method="post" id="switch-date-use-form">{% csrf_token %}
-          <button class="btn btn-default" type="submit" name="action" value="switch"{% if milestone_set == 'charter' %} style="display:none;"{% endif %}>
+          <button class="btn btn-default" type="submit" name="action" value="switch"{% if milestone_set == 'charter' and not group.charter.rev == '00-00' %} style="display:none;"{% endif %}>
             {% if group.uses_milestone_dates %}Stop{% else %}Start{% endif %} using milestone dates
           </button>
         </form>