diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index effa460e517a64..bb10f37e1b41de 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ static const bool DEFAULT_FIXEDSEEDS = true;
 static const size_t DEFAULT_MAXRECEIVEBUFFER = 5 * 1000;
 static const size_t DEFAULT_MAXSENDBUFFER    = 1 * 1000;
 
-static constexpr bool DEFAULT_V2_TRANSPORT{false};
+static constexpr bool DEFAULT_V2_TRANSPORT{true};
 
 #if defined USE_KQUEUE
 #define DEFAULT_SOCKETEVENTS "kqueue"
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
index 7080149b5d7a91..93d9bd1497e48e 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -128,8 +128,15 @@ def __init__(self, i, datadir, extra_args_from_options, *, chain, rpchost, timew
         # Default behavior from global -v2transport flag is added to args to persist it over restarts.
         # May be overwritten in individual tests, using extra_args.
         self.default_to_v2 = v2transport
-        if self.default_to_v2:
-            self.args.append("-v2transport=1")
+        if self.version_is_at_least(260000):
+            # 26.0 and later support v2transport
+            if v2transport:
+                self.args.append("-v2transport=1")
+            else:
+                self.args.append("-v2transport=0")
+        else:
+            # v2transport requested but not supported for node
+            assert not v2transport
 
         self.cli = TestNodeCLI(bitcoin_cli, self.datadir)
         self.use_cli = use_cli