diff --git a/programs/fileio.c b/programs/fileio.c
index 572e9c9a..78fb9a26 100644
--- a/programs/fileio.c
+++ b/programs/fileio.c
@@ -227,6 +227,9 @@ static FILE* FIO_openDstFile(const char* dstFileName)
             DISPLAYLEVEL(4, "Sparse File Support is automatically disabled on stdout ; try --sparse \n");
         }
     } else {
+        if (g_sparseFileSupport == 1) {
+            g_sparseFileSupport = ZSTD_SPARSE_DEFAULT;
+        }
         if (!g_overwrite && strcmp (dstFileName, nulmark)) {  /* Check if destination file already exists */
             f = fopen( dstFileName, "rb" );
             if (f != 0) {  /* dest file exists, prompt for overwrite authorization */
diff --git a/programs/platform.h b/programs/platform.h
index ee781951..74412cde 100644
--- a/programs/platform.h
+++ b/programs/platform.h
@@ -138,6 +138,14 @@ static __inline int IS_CONSOLE(FILE* stdStream)
 #endif
 
 
+#ifndef ZSTD_SPARSE_DEFAULT
+#  if (defined(__APPLE__) && defined(__MACH__))
+#    define ZSTD_SPARSE_DEFAULT 0
+#  else
+#    define ZSTD_SPARSE_DEFAULT 1
+#  endif
+#endif
+
 
 #if defined (__cplusplus)
 }
diff --git a/programs/zstdcli.c b/programs/zstdcli.c
index e2709ec8..0cf8cacd 100644
--- a/programs/zstdcli.c
+++ b/programs/zstdcli.c
@@ -137,7 +137,11 @@ static int usage_advanced(const char* programName)
 #endif
 #ifndef ZSTD_NODECOMPRESS
     DISPLAY( "--test  : test compressed file integrity \n");
+#if ZSTD_SPARSE_DEFAULT
     DISPLAY( "--[no-]sparse : sparse mode (default:enabled on file, disabled on stdout)\n");
+#else
+    DISPLAY( "--[no-]sparse : sparse mode (default:disabled)\n");
+#endif
 #endif
     DISPLAY( " -M#    : Set a memory usage limit for decompression \n");
     DISPLAY( "--      : All arguments after \"--\" are treated as files \n");