diff --git a/data/templates/default.context b/data/templates/default.context
index 89944c372..1ad5779ab 100644
--- a/data/templates/default.context
+++ b/data/templates/default.context
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ $if(layout)$
 $endif$
 $if(pagenumbering)$
 \setuppagenumbering[$for(pagenumbering)$$pagenumbering$$sep$,$endfor$]
+$else$
+\setuppagenumbering[location={footer,middle}]
 $endif$
 $if(pdfa)$
 % attempt to generate PDF/A
diff --git a/test/writer.context b/test/writer.context
index 619124788..636a9bf8d 100644
--- a/test/writer.context
+++ b/test/writer.context
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 \placebookmarks[chapter, section, subsection, subsubsection, subsubsubsection, subsubsubsubsection][chapter, section]
 \setupinteractionscreen[option=bookmark]
 
+\setuppagenumbering[location={footer,middle}]
 \setupbackend[export=yes]
 \setupstructure[state=start,method=auto]
 
diff --git a/test/writers-lang-and-dir.context b/test/writers-lang-and-dir.context
index b309d130b..318b538eb 100644
--- a/test/writers-lang-and-dir.context
+++ b/test/writers-lang-and-dir.context
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 \placebookmarks[chapter, section, subsection, subsubsection, subsubsubsection, subsubsubsubsection][chapter, section]
 \setupinteractionscreen[option=bookmark]
 
+\setuppagenumbering[location={footer,middle}]
 \setupbackend[export=yes]
 \setupstructure[state=start,method=auto]