diff --git a/intern/cycles/kernel/shaders/node_ambient_occlusion.osl b/intern/cycles/kernel/shaders/node_ambient_occlusion.osl
index d7ffa3c1606..865ad4c9fb9 100644
--- a/intern/cycles/kernel/shaders/node_ambient_occlusion.osl
+++ b/intern/cycles/kernel/shaders/node_ambient_occlusion.osl
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
 #include "stdosl.h"
 
 shader node_ambient_occlusion(
-	color ColorIn = color(0.8, 0.8, 0.8),
+	color ColorIn = color(1.0, 1.0, 1.0),
 	int samples = 8,
 	float Distance = 1.0,
 	normal Normal = N,
 	int inside = 0,
 	int only_local = 1,
-	output color ColorOut = color(0.8, 0.8, 0.8),
+	output color ColorOut = color(1.0, 1.0, 1.0),
 	output float AO = 1.0)
 {
 	int global_radius = (Distance == 0.0 && !isconnected(Distance));
diff --git a/intern/cycles/render/nodes.cpp b/intern/cycles/render/nodes.cpp
index 680174f6d98..2464fcae069 100644
--- a/intern/cycles/render/nodes.cpp
+++ b/intern/cycles/render/nodes.cpp
@@ -2797,7 +2797,7 @@ NODE_DEFINE(AmbientOcclusionNode)
 
 	SOCKET_INT(samples, "Samples", 8);
 
-	SOCKET_IN_COLOR(color, "Color", make_float3(0.8f, 0.8f, 0.8f));
+	SOCKET_IN_COLOR(color, "Color", make_float3(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f));
 	SOCKET_IN_FLOAT(distance, "Distance", 1.0f);
 	SOCKET_IN_NORMAL(normal, "Normal", make_float3(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f), SocketType::LINK_NORMAL);
 
diff --git a/source/blender/nodes/shader/nodes/node_shader_ambient_occlusion.c b/source/blender/nodes/shader/nodes/node_shader_ambient_occlusion.c
index cad0fcaa14f..cac86ec967f 100644
--- a/source/blender/nodes/shader/nodes/node_shader_ambient_occlusion.c
+++ b/source/blender/nodes/shader/nodes/node_shader_ambient_occlusion.c
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@
 /* **************** OUTPUT ******************** */
 
 static bNodeSocketTemplate sh_node_ambient_occlusion_in[] = {
-	{	SOCK_RGBA, 1, N_("Color"),		0.8f, 0.8f, 0.8f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f},
+	{	SOCK_RGBA, 1, N_("Color"),		1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f},
 	{	SOCK_FLOAT, 0, N_("Distance"),	1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1000.0f},
 	{	SOCK_VECTOR, 1, N_("Normal"),	0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f, -1.0f, 1.0f, PROP_NONE, SOCK_HIDE_VALUE},
 	{	-1, 0, ""	}
 };
 
 static bNodeSocketTemplate sh_node_ambient_occlusion_out[] = {
-	{	SOCK_RGBA, 1, N_("Color"),	0.8f, 0.8f, 0.8f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f},
+	{	SOCK_RGBA, 1, N_("Color"),	1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f},
 	{	SOCK_FLOAT, 0, N_("AO"),	0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f},
 	{	-1, 0, ""	}
 };