diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/editorInstance.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/editorInstance.js
index 235ccdf199..155507fb4f 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/editorInstance.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/editorInstance.js
@@ -1361,7 +1361,8 @@ class EditorInstanceUtilities {
 
 			let vars = {
 				color: annotation.color || '',
-				highlight: (attrs) => attrs.quotes === 'true' ? quotedHighlightHTML : highlightHTML,
+				// Include quotation marks by default, but allow to disable with `quotes='false'`
+				highlight: (attrs) => attrs.quotes === 'false' ? highlightHTML : quotedHighlightHTML,
 				comment: commentHTML,
 				citation: citationHTML,
 				image: imageHTML,
diff --git a/defaults/preferences/zotero.js b/defaults/preferences/zotero.js
index f0b011adf0..bca1ef1cb6 100644
--- a/defaults/preferences/zotero.js
+++ b/defaults/preferences/zotero.js
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ pref("extensions.zotero.retractions.recentItems", "[]");
 
 // Annotations
 pref("extensions.zotero.annotations.noteTemplates.title", "<h1>{{title}}<br/>({{date}})</h1>");
-pref("extensions.zotero.annotations.noteTemplates.highlight", "<p>{{highlight quotes='true'}} {{citation}} {{comment}}</p>");
+pref("extensions.zotero.annotations.noteTemplates.highlight", "<p>{{highlight}} {{citation}} {{comment}}</p>");
 pref("extensions.zotero.annotations.noteTemplates.note", "<p>{{citation}} {{comment}}</p>");
 
 // Scaffold