diff --git a/lib/ash/policy/info.ex b/lib/ash/policy/info.ex
index 8d8a36cc..ec489135 100644
--- a/lib/ash/policy/info.ex
+++ b/lib/ash/policy/info.ex
@@ -143,8 +143,10 @@ defmodule Ash.Policy.Info do
     |> set_access_type(default_access_type(resource))
   end
 
+  @private_fields_policy_default Application.compile_env(:ash, :policies)[:private_fields] || :show
+
   def private_fields_policy(resource) do
-    Extension.get_opt(resource, [:field_policies], :private_fields)
+    Extension.get_opt(resource, [:field_policies], :private_fields, @private_fields_policy_default)
   end
 
   def policies(domain, resource) do