diff --git a/packages/core/src/metadata/directives.ts b/packages/core/src/metadata/directives.ts
index ab1f8cd50b97..6d080efe8b82 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/metadata/directives.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/metadata/directives.ts
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ export interface Component extends Directive {
  */
 export const Component: ComponentDecorator = makeDecorator(
   'Component',
-  (c: Component = {}) => ({changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager, ...c}),
+  (c: Component = {}) => ({changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush, ...c}),
   Directive,
   undefined,
   (type: Type<any>, meta: Component) => compileComponent(type, meta),
diff --git a/packages/core/test/metadata/directives_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/metadata/directives_spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..45e2147fd47f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/test/metadata/directives_spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright Google LLC All Rights Reserved.
+ *
+ * Use of this source code is governed by an MIT-style license that can be
+ * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.dev/license
+ */
+
+import {ChangeDetectionStrategy, Component} from '@angular/core';
+
+describe('Component decorator', () => {
+  it('should default changeDetection to OnPush', () => {
+    const comp = new Component({});
+    expect(comp.changeDetection).toBe(ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush);
+  });
+});