diff --git a/actionpack/lib/sprockets/railtie.rb b/actionpack/lib/sprockets/railtie.rb
index bee3ae2fc6aac..38eb00ce01f3c 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/sprockets/railtie.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/sprockets/railtie.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def self.using_coffee?
 
       ActiveSupport.on_load(:action_view) do
         include ::Sprockets::Helpers::RailsHelper
-        
+
         app.assets.context_class.instance_eval do
           include ::Sprockets::Helpers::RailsHelper
         end
@@ -63,8 +63,12 @@ def asset_environment(app)
 
         env.logger = Rails.logger
 
-        env.js_compressor  = expand_js_compressor(assets.js_compressor)
-        env.css_compressor = expand_css_compressor(assets.css_compressor)
+        if assets.compress
+          # temporarily hardcode default JS compressor to uglify. Soon, it will work
+          # the same as SCSS, where a default plugin sets the default.
+          env.js_compressor  = expand_js_compressor(assets.js_compressor || :uglifier)
+          env.css_compressor = expand_css_compressor(assets.css_compressor)
+        end
 
         env
       end
diff --git a/railties/lib/rails/generators/rails/app/templates/config/environments/production.rb.tt b/railties/lib/rails/generators/rails/app/templates/config/environments/production.rb.tt
index 60e26755fef3b..06ed890e05f26 100644
--- a/railties/lib/rails/generators/rails/app/templates/config/environments/production.rb.tt
+++ b/railties/lib/rails/generators/rails/app/templates/config/environments/production.rb.tt
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@
   # Compress JavaScripts and CSS
   config.assets.compress = true
 
-  # Specify the default JavaScript compressor
-  config.assets.js_compressor  = :uglifier
-
   # Specifies the header that your server uses for sending files
   # (comment out if your front-end server doesn't support this)
   config.action_dispatch.x_sendfile_header = "X-Sendfile" # Use 'X-Accel-Redirect' for nginx