diff --git a/evals/packages/types/src/roo-code-defaults.ts b/evals/packages/types/src/roo-code-defaults.ts
index 326f5d5e89..a06e642fd5 100644
--- a/evals/packages/types/src/roo-code-defaults.ts
+++ b/evals/packages/types/src/roo-code-defaults.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export const rooCodeDefaults: RooCodeSettings = {
 	maxOpenTabsContext: 20,
 	maxWorkspaceFiles: 200,
 	showRooIgnoredFiles: true,
-	maxReadFileLine: 500, // -1 to enable full file reading.
+	maxReadFileLine: -1, // -1 to enable full file reading.
 
 	language: "en",
 	telemetrySetting: "enabled",
diff --git a/src/core/tools/readFileTool.ts b/src/core/tools/readFileTool.ts
index fade9b2d11..67fd4b5e96 100644
--- a/src/core/tools/readFileTool.ts
+++ b/src/core/tools/readFileTool.ts
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export async function readFileTool(
 				return
 			}
 
-			const { maxReadFileLine = 500 } = (await cline.providerRef.deref()?.getState()) ?? {}
+			const { maxReadFileLine = -1 } = (await cline.providerRef.deref()?.getState()) ?? {}
 			const isFullRead = maxReadFileLine === -1
 
 			// Check if we're doing a line range read
diff --git a/src/core/webview/ClineProvider.ts b/src/core/webview/ClineProvider.ts
index 7b04ee15c4..80c5596743 100644
--- a/src/core/webview/ClineProvider.ts
+++ b/src/core/webview/ClineProvider.ts
@@ -1344,7 +1344,7 @@ export class ClineProvider extends EventEmitter<ClineProviderEvents> implements
 			showRooIgnoredFiles: showRooIgnoredFiles ?? true,
 			language: language ?? formatLanguage(vscode.env.language),
 			renderContext: this.renderContext,
-			maxReadFileLine: maxReadFileLine ?? 500,
+			maxReadFileLine: maxReadFileLine ?? -1,
 			settingsImportedAt: this.settingsImportedAt,
 			terminalCompressProgressBar: terminalCompressProgressBar ?? true,
 			hasSystemPromptOverride,
@@ -1451,7 +1451,7 @@ export class ClineProvider extends EventEmitter<ClineProviderEvents> implements
 			browserToolEnabled: stateValues.browserToolEnabled ?? true,
 			telemetrySetting: stateValues.telemetrySetting || "unset",
 			showRooIgnoredFiles: stateValues.showRooIgnoredFiles ?? true,
-			maxReadFileLine: stateValues.maxReadFileLine ?? 500,
+			maxReadFileLine: stateValues.maxReadFileLine ?? -1,
 			historyPreviewCollapsed: stateValues.historyPreviewCollapsed ?? false,
 			// Explicitly add condensing settings
 			condensingApiConfigId: stateValues.condensingApiConfigId,
diff --git a/webview-ui/src/components/settings/ContextManagementSettings.tsx b/webview-ui/src/components/settings/ContextManagementSettings.tsx
index b2624582f1..d400f941df 100644
--- a/webview-ui/src/components/settings/ContextManagementSettings.tsx
+++ b/webview-ui/src/components/settings/ContextManagementSettings.tsx
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ export const ContextManagementSettings = ({
 								type="number"
 								pattern="-?[0-9]*"
 								className="w-24 bg-vscode-input-background text-vscode-input-foreground border border-vscode-input-border px-2 py-1 rounded text-right [appearance:textfield] [&::-webkit-outer-spin-button]:appearance-none [&::-webkit-inner-spin-button]:appearance-none disabled:opacity-50"
-								value={maxReadFileLine ?? 500}
+								value={maxReadFileLine ?? -1}
 								min={-1}
 								onChange={(e) => {
 									const newValue = parseInt(e.target.value, 10)
diff --git a/webview-ui/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx b/webview-ui/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx
index 005bd23696..16770a15e2 100644
--- a/webview-ui/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx
+++ b/webview-ui/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ const SettingsView = forwardRef<SettingsViewRef, SettingsViewProps>(({ onDone, t
 			vscode.postMessage({ type: "maxOpenTabsContext", value: maxOpenTabsContext })
 			vscode.postMessage({ type: "maxWorkspaceFiles", value: maxWorkspaceFiles ?? 200 })
 			vscode.postMessage({ type: "showRooIgnoredFiles", bool: showRooIgnoredFiles })
-			vscode.postMessage({ type: "maxReadFileLine", value: maxReadFileLine ?? 500 })
+			vscode.postMessage({ type: "maxReadFileLine", value: maxReadFileLine ?? -1 })
 			vscode.postMessage({ type: "currentApiConfigName", text: currentApiConfigName })
 			vscode.postMessage({ type: "updateExperimental", values: experiments })
 			vscode.postMessage({ type: "alwaysAllowModeSwitch", bool: alwaysAllowModeSwitch })
diff --git a/webview-ui/src/context/ExtensionStateContext.tsx b/webview-ui/src/context/ExtensionStateContext.tsx
index e35e5e27ff..53629f942e 100644
--- a/webview-ui/src/context/ExtensionStateContext.tsx
+++ b/webview-ui/src/context/ExtensionStateContext.tsx
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ export const ExtensionStateContextProvider: React.FC<{ children: React.ReactNode
 		telemetrySetting: "unset",
 		showRooIgnoredFiles: true, // Default to showing .rooignore'd files with lock symbol (current behavior).
 		renderContext: "sidebar",
-		maxReadFileLine: 500, // Default max read file line limit
+		maxReadFileLine: -1, // Default max read file line limit
 		pinnedApiConfigs: {}, // Empty object for pinned API configs
 		terminalZshOhMy: false, // Default Oh My Zsh integration setting
 		terminalZshP10k: false, // Default Powerlevel10k integration setting