diff --git a/django_ratelimit/decorators.py b/django_ratelimit/decorators.py
index 5b0e31e..40c9541 100644
--- a/django_ratelimit/decorators.py
+++ b/django_ratelimit/decorators.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 __all__ = ['ratelimit']
 
 
-def ratelimit(group=None, key=None, rate=None, method=ALL, block=False):
+def ratelimit(group=None, key=None, rate=None, method=ALL, block=True):
     def decorator(fn):
         @wraps(fn)
         def _wrapped(request, *args, **kw):
diff --git a/django_ratelimit/tests.py b/django_ratelimit/tests.py
index 43f0cd3..a58c89e 100644
--- a/django_ratelimit/tests.py
+++ b/django_ratelimit/tests.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         cache.clear()
 
     def test_no_key(self):
-        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', block=True)
+        @ratelimit(rate='1/m')
         def view(request):
             return True
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def view(request):
             view(req)
 
     def test_ip(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def view(request):
         assert view(rf.get('/')), 'Second request is limited'
 
     def test_block(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', block=True)
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m')
         def blocked(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def blocked(request):
             blocked(rf.get('/')), 'Second request is blocked.'
 
     def test_ratelimit_custom_string_exception_class(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', block=True)
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m')
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def view(request):
                 view(req)
 
     def test_ratelimit_custom_exception_class(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', block=True)
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m')
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def view(request):
                 view(req)
 
     def test_method(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', method='POST', rate='1/m', group='a')
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', method='POST', rate='1/m', group='a', block=False)
         def limit_post(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def limit_post(request):
         assert not limit_post(rf.get('/')), 'Do not limit GET.'
 
     def test_unsafe_methods(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', method=ratelimit.UNSAFE, rate='0/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', method=ratelimit.UNSAFE, rate='0/m', block=False)
         def limit_unsafe(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def limit_unsafe(request):
         assert limit_unsafe(rf.patch('/'))
 
     def test_key_get(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='get:foo', rate='1/m', method='GET')
+        @ratelimit(key='get:foo', rate='1/m', method='GET', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ def view(request):
         assert view(rf.get('/', {'foo': 'b'}))
 
     def test_key_post(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='post:foo', rate='1/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='post:foo', rate='1/m', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -158,8 +158,8 @@ def _req():
             req.META['HTTP_X_REAL_IP'] = '1.2.3.4'
             return req
 
-        @ratelimit(key='header:x-real-ip', rate='1/m')
-        @ratelimit(key='header:x-missing-header', rate='1/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='header:x-real-ip', rate='1/m', block=False)
+        @ratelimit(key='header:x-missing-header', rate='1/m', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def view(request):
         assert view(_req())
 
     def test_rate(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='2/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='2/m', block=False)
         def twice(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -176,14 +176,14 @@ def twice(request):
         assert twice(rf.post('/')), 'Third request is limited.'
 
     def test_zero_rate(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='0/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='0/m', block=False)
         def never(request):
             return request.limited
 
         assert never(rf.post('/'))
 
     def test_none_rate(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate=None)
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate=None, block=False)
         def always(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ def get_rate(group, request):
                 return (2, 60)
             return (1, 60)
 
-        @ratelimit(key='user_or_ip', rate=get_rate)
+        @ratelimit(key='user_or_ip', rate=get_rate, block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ def _req(never_limit=False):
 
         get_rate = lambda g, r: None if r.never_limit else '1/m'
 
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate=get_rate)
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate=get_rate, block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ def get_rate(group, request):
                 return '1/m'
             return '0/m'
 
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate=get_rate)
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate=get_rate, block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -259,7 +259,8 @@ def _req(auth):
             return req
 
         @ratelimit(key='user_or_ip',
-                   rate='django_ratelimit.tests.callable_rate')
+                   rate='django_ratelimit.tests.callable_rate',
+                   block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ def view(request):
         assert view(_req(auth=True))
 
     def test_callable_key_path(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='django_ratelimit.tests.mykey', rate='1/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='django_ratelimit.tests.mykey', rate='1/m', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -296,7 +297,7 @@ def view(request):
         assert view(rf.post('/'))
 
     def test_callable_key(self):
-        @ratelimit(key=mykey, rate='1/m')
+        @ratelimit(key=mykey, rate='1/m', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -317,8 +318,8 @@ def view(request):
 
     def test_stacked_methods(self):
         """Different methods should result in different counts."""
-        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', method='GET')
-        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', method='POST')
+        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', method='GET', block=False)
+        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', method='POST', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -329,11 +330,13 @@ def view(request):
 
     def test_sorted_methods(self):
         """Order of the methods shouldn't matter."""
-        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', method=['GET', 'POST'], group='a')
+        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', method=['GET', 'POST'],
+                   group='a', block=False)
         def get_post(request):
             return request.limited
 
-        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', method=['POST', 'GET'], group='a')
+        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', method=['POST', 'GET'],
+                   group='a', block=False)
         def post_get(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -341,7 +344,7 @@ def post_get(request):
         assert post_get(rf.get('/'))
 
     def test_ratelimit_full_mask_v4(self):
-        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip')
+        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -356,7 +359,7 @@ def view(request):
             assert not view(req)
 
     def test_ratelimit_full_mask_v6(self):
-        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip')
+        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -371,7 +374,7 @@ def view(request):
             assert not view(req)
 
     def test_ratelimit_mask_v4(self):
-        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip')
+        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -390,7 +393,7 @@ def view(request):
             assert not view(req)
 
     def test_ratelimit_mask_v6(self):
-        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip')
+        @ratelimit(rate='1/m', key='ip', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -513,11 +516,13 @@ def get(self, request):
 
     def test_methods_counted_separately(self):
         class TestView(View):
-            @method_decorator(ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', method='GET'))
+            @method_decorator(ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m',
+                                        method='GET', block=False))
             def get(self, request):
                 return request.limited
 
-            @method_decorator(ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', method='POST'))
+            @method_decorator(ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m',
+                                        method='POST', block=False))
             def post(self, request):
                 return request.limited
 
@@ -529,12 +534,14 @@ def post(self, request):
 
     def test_views_counted_separately(self):
         class TestView(View):
-            @method_decorator(ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', method='GET'))
+            @method_decorator(ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m',
+                                        method='GET', block=False))
             def get(self, request):
                 return request.limited
 
         class AnotherTestView(View):
-            @method_decorator(ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', method='GET'))
+            @method_decorator(ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m',
+                                        method='GET', block=False))
             def get(self, request):
                 return request.limited
 
@@ -549,7 +556,7 @@ def get(self, request):
 class CacheFailTests(TestCase):
     @override_settings(RATELIMIT_USE_CACHE='fake-cache')
     def test_bad_cache(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -558,7 +565,7 @@ def view(request):
 
     @override_settings(RATELIMIT_USE_CACHE='connection-errors')
     def test_limit_on_cache_connection_error(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='10/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='10/m', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -567,7 +574,7 @@ def view(request):
     @override_settings(RATELIMIT_USE_CACHE='connection-errors',
                        RATELIMIT_FAIL_OPEN=True)
     def test_fail_open_setting(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m')
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', block=False)
         def view(request):
             return request.limited
 
@@ -606,7 +613,7 @@ def do_increment(request):
 
     @override_settings(RATELIMIT_USE_CACHE='instant-expiration')
     def test_cache_timeout(self):
-        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m', block=True)
+        @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='1/m')
         def view(request):
             return True
 
diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index 47b49f6..b92433b 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ Use as a decorator in ``views.py``:
     def secondview(request):
         # ...
 
-After activating django-ratelimit, you should ensure that your cache
+Before activating django-ratelimit, you should ensure that your cache
 backend is setup to be both persistent and work across multiple
 deployment worker instances (for instance UWSGI workers). Read more in
 the Django docs on `caching
diff --git a/docs/usage.rst b/docs/usage.rst
index 9ce9809..321c111 100644
--- a/docs/usage.rst
+++ b/docs/usage.rst
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Import:
     from django_ratelimit.decorators import ratelimit
 
 
-.. py:decorator:: ratelimit(group=None, key=, rate=None, method=ALL, block=False)
+.. py:decorator:: ratelimit(group=None, key=, rate=None, method=ALL, block=True)
 
    :arg group:
        *None* A group of rate limits to count together. Defaults to the
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Import:
         ``PATCH``).
 
    :arg block:
-       *False* Whether to block the request instead of annotating.
+       *True* Whether to block the request instead of annotating.
 
 
 HTTP Methods
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ Examples
 
 .. code-block:: python
 
-    @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='5/m')
+    @ratelimit(key='ip', rate='5/m', block=False)
     def myview(request):
         # Will be true if the same IP makes more than 5 POST
         # requests/minute.
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ Examples
         # If the same IP makes >5 reqs/min, will raise Ratelimited
         return HttpResponse()
 
-    @ratelimit(key='post:username', rate='5/m', method=['GET', 'POST'])
+    @ratelimit(key='post:username', rate='5/m',
+               method=['GET', 'POST'], block=False)
     def login(request):
         # If the same username is used >5 times/min, this will be True.
         # The `username` value will come from GET or POST, determined by the
@@ -118,8 +119,8 @@ Examples
         # Allow 4 reqs/hour.
         return HttpResponse()
 
-    rate = lambda g, r: None if r.user.is_authenticated else '100/h'
-    @ratelimit(key='ip', rate=rate)
+    get_rate = lambda g, r: None if r.user.is_authenticated else '100/h'
+    @ratelimit(key='ip', rate=get_rate)
     def skipif1(request):
         # Only rate limit anonymous requests
         return HttpResponse()