diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/lib/config/schema.json b/packages/angular/cli/lib/config/schema.json
index 45f14b1bf82b..60f1af90c336 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/lib/config/schema.json
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/lib/config/schema.json
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@
                             "inlineCritical": {
                               "type": "boolean",
                               "description": "Extract and inline critical CSS definitions to improve first paint time.",
-                              "default": false
+                              "default": true
                             }
                           },
                           "additionalProperties": false
diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/browser/schema.json b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/browser/schema.json
index ee1e996e587f..cfec8cf0b403 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/browser/schema.json
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/browser/schema.json
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
                     "inlineCritical": {
                       "type": "boolean",
                       "description": "Extract and inline critical CSS definitions to improve first paint time.",
-                      "default": false
+                      "default": true
                     }
                   },
                   "additionalProperties": false
diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/utils/normalize-optimization.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/utils/normalize-optimization.ts
index c7e7de05b26f..6946a3039f1a 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/utils/normalize-optimization.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/utils/normalize-optimization.ts
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ export function normalizeOptimization(optimization: OptimizationUnion = false):
       scripts: !!optimization.scripts,
       styles: typeof optimization.styles === 'object' ? optimization.styles : {
         minify: !!optimization.styles,
-        // inlineCritical is always false unless explictly set.
-        inlineCritical: false,
+        inlineCritical: !!optimization.styles,
       },
       fonts: typeof optimization.fonts === 'object' ? optimization.fonts : {
         inline: !!optimization.fonts,
@@ -32,8 +31,7 @@ export function normalizeOptimization(optimization: OptimizationUnion = false):
     scripts: optimization,
     styles: {
       minify: optimization,
-      // inlineCritical is always false unless explictly set.
-      inlineCritical: false,
+      inlineCritical: optimization,
     },
     fonts: {
       inline: optimization,