diff --git a/src/_pytest/assertion/__init__.py b/src/_pytest/assertion/__init__.py
index 53b33fe38..126929b6a 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/assertion/__init__.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/assertion/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
     parser.addini(
         "enable_assertion_pass_hook",
         type="bool",
-        default="False",
+        default=False,
         help="Enables the pytest_assertion_pass hook."
         "Make sure to delete any previously generated pyc cache files.",
     )
diff --git a/testing/test_assertrewrite.py b/testing/test_assertrewrite.py
index 0c01be28c..5c6809279 100644
--- a/testing/test_assertrewrite.py
+++ b/testing/test_assertrewrite.py
@@ -1335,6 +1335,10 @@ class TestEarlyRewriteBailout:
 
 
 class TestAssertionPass:
+    def test_option_default(self, testdir):
+        config = testdir.parseconfig()
+        assert config.getini("enable_assertion_pass_hook") is False
+
     def test_hook_call(self, testdir):
         testdir.makeconftest(
             """