diff --git a/modules/file/file.field.inc b/modules/file/file.field.inc
index d592381..eb664d9 100644
--- a/modules/file/file.field.inc
+++ b/modules/file/file.field.inc
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function file_field_info() {
       ),
       'instance_settings' => array(
         'file_extensions' => 'txt',
-        'file_directory' => '',
+        'file_directory' => '[date:custom:Y]-[date:custom:m]',
         'max_filesize' => '',
         'description_field' => 0,
       ),
diff --git a/modules/file/tests/file.test b/modules/file/tests/file.test
index 41e97cd..432061b 100644
--- a/modules/file/tests/file.test
+++ b/modules/file/tests/file.test
@@ -1354,10 +1354,11 @@ class FileFieldPathTestCase extends FileFieldTestCase {
     // Create a new node.
     $nid = $this->uploadNodeFile($test_file, $field_name, $type_name);
 
-    // Check that the file was uploaded to the file root.
+    // Check that the file was uploaded to the correct location.
     $node = node_load($nid, NULL, TRUE);
     $node_file = (object) $node->{$field_name}[LANGUAGE_NONE][0];
-    $this->assertPathMatch('public://' . $test_file->filename, $node_file->uri, format_string('The file %file was uploaded to the correct path.', array('%file' => $node_file->uri)));
+    $expected_path = 'public://' . date('Y', REQUEST_TIME) . '-' . date('m', REQUEST_TIME) . '/' . $test_file->filename;
+    $this->assertPathMatch($expected_path, $node_file->uri, format_string('The file %file was uploaded to the correct path.', array('%file' => $node_file->uri)));
 
     // Change the path to contain multiple subdirectories.
     $field = $this->updateFileField($field_name, $type_name, array('file_directory' => 'foo/bar/baz'));
diff --git a/modules/image/image.field.inc b/modules/image/image.field.inc
index 6d1867c..f0dbf27 100644
--- a/modules/image/image.field.inc
+++ b/modules/image/image.field.inc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function image_field_info() {
       ),
       'instance_settings' => array(
         'file_extensions' => 'png gif jpg jpeg',
-        'file_directory' => '',
+        'file_directory' => '[date:custom:Y]-[date:custom:m]',
         'max_filesize' => '',
         'alt_field' => 0,
         'title_field' => 0,
diff --git a/modules/system/system.install b/modules/system/system.install
index ae55b89..e1553cc 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/modules/system/system.install
@@ -2782,7 +2782,7 @@ function system_update_7060() {
       'settings' => array(
         'max_filesize' => $upload_size ? ($upload_size . ' MB') : '',
         'file_extensions' => variable_get('upload_extensions_default', 'jpg jpeg gif png txt doc xls pdf ppt pps odt ods odp'),
-        'file_directory' => '',
+        'file_directory' => '[date:custom:Y]-[date:custom:m]',
         'description_field' => 1,
       ),
       'display' => array(
diff --git a/profiles/standard/standard.install b/profiles/standard/standard.install
index ae34eaf..158c4ea 100644
--- a/profiles/standard/standard.install
+++ b/profiles/standard/standard.install
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ function standard_install() {
     'required' => FALSE,
 
     'settings' => array(
-      'file_directory' => 'field/image',
+      'file_directory' => '[date:custom:Y]-[date:custom:m]',
       'file_extensions' => 'png gif jpg jpeg',
       'max_filesize' => '',
       'max_resolution' => '',