diff --git a/config/envoyconfig/listeners_test.go b/config/envoyconfig/listeners_test.go
index 6db5a70b3..86c9f5774 100644
--- a/config/envoyconfig/listeners_test.go
+++ b/config/envoyconfig/listeners_test.go
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ func Test_buildMainHTTPConnectionManagerFilter(t *testing.T) {
 					}
 				}
 			}],
+			"codecType": "HTTP1",
 			"commonHttpProtocolOptions": {
 				"idleTimeout": "300s"
 			},
diff --git a/config/options.go b/config/options.go
index d4966a9cd..5f253fc32 100644
--- a/config/options.go
+++ b/config/options.go
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ var defaultOptions = Options{
 	Services:               "all",
 	CookieHTTPOnly:         true,
 	CookieSecure:           true,
+	CodecType:              CodecTypeAuto,
 	CookieExpire:           14 * time.Hour,
 	CookieName:             "_pomerium",
 	DefaultUpstreamTimeout: 30 * time.Second,
diff --git a/config/options_test.go b/config/options_test.go
index 2470c6ac6..ccc6ecf8b 100644
--- a/config/options_test.go
+++ b/config/options_test.go
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ func TestOptionsFromViper(t *testing.T) {
 				EnvoyAdminAccessLogPath:  os.DevNull,
 				EnvoyAdminProfilePath:    os.DevNull,
 				EnvoyAdminAddress:        "127.0.0.1:9901",
+				CodecType:                CodecTypeAuto,
 			},
 			false,
 		},
@@ -334,6 +335,7 @@ func TestOptionsFromViper(t *testing.T) {
 				EnvoyAdminAccessLogPath:  os.DevNull,
 				EnvoyAdminProfilePath:    os.DevNull,
 				EnvoyAdminAddress:        "127.0.0.1:9901",
+				CodecType:                CodecTypeAuto,
 			},
 			false,
 		},
@@ -691,3 +693,8 @@ func mustParseWeightedURLs(t *testing.T, urls ...string) []WeightedURL {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	return wu
 }
+
+func TestDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	o := NewDefaultOptions()
+	assert.Equal(t, CodecTypeAuto, o.CodecType)
+}