diff --git a/synapse/config/repository.py b/synapse/config/repository.py
index 017374919322da0d9e3b2ead33bd271c3640ad3d..e1827f05e4744a003eadac3cb7203e333fe7236f 100644
--- a/synapse/config/repository.py
+++ b/synapse/config/repository.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class ContentRepositoryConfig(Config):
         super(ContentRepositoryConfig, cls).add_arguments(parser)
         db_group = parser.add_argument_group("content_repository")
         db_group.add_argument(
-            "--max-upload-size", default="1M"
+            "--max-upload-size", default="10M"
         )
         db_group.add_argument(
             "--media-store-path", default=cls.default_path("media_store")