diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 26add1966..6aa238599 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2015-12-19  Barton E. Schaefer  <schaefer@zsh.org>
+
+	* users/21068: Functions/Newuser/zsh-newuser-install: use emacs
+	keymap in vared by default (less surprising than vi modes)
+
 2015-12-19  Mikael Magnusson  <mikachu@gmail.com>
 
 	* 36650: Doc/Zsh/zle.yo, Src/Zle/zle_main.c: Add
diff --git a/Functions/Newuser/zsh-newuser-install b/Functions/Newuser/zsh-newuser-install
index 37c60293a..e4028fd50 100644
--- a/Functions/Newuser/zsh-newuser-install
+++ b/Functions/Newuser/zsh-newuser-install
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ $default_options[$match[2]])
 	fi
 	print -r "Edit a value.  If it is left blank, nothing will be saved:"
 	edval=$match[2]
-	if vared -p "$match[1]> " -h edval; then
+	if vared -M emacs -p "$match[1]> " -h edval; then
 	  # check this assignment doesn't produce multiple words
 	  # e.g. "HISTFILE=never rm -f ~" does produce multiple words...
 	  # this isn't perfect, e.g. "(this would get split on assignment)",