diff --git a/core/commands/dag/dag.go b/core/commands/dag/dag.go
index 7d21eb0710f5..783b36ac1512 100644
--- a/core/commands/dag/dag.go
+++ b/core/commands/dag/dag.go
@@ -176,13 +176,16 @@ var DagImportCmd = &cmds.Command{
 		Tagline: "Import the contents of .car files",
 		ShortDescription: `
 'ipfs dag import' imports all blocks present in supplied .car
-( Content Address aRchive ) files, recursively pinning any roots
-specified in the CAR file headers, unless --pin-roots is set to false.
+( Content Address aRchive ) files, optionally recursively pinning any
+roots specified in the CAR file headers if --pin-roots is set.
 
 Note:
   This command will import all blocks in the CAR file, not just those
-  reachable from the specified roots. However, these other blocks will
-  not be pinned and may be garbage collected later.
+  reachable from the specified roots. However, when using --pin-roots,
+  these other blocks will not be pinned and may be garbage collected
+  later. When not using --pin-roots, all blocks imported may be garbage
+  collected if no other pin operation is performed on them, or a root
+  that references them.
 
   The pinning of the roots happens after all car files are processed,
   permitting import of DAGs spanning multiple files.
@@ -200,7 +203,7 @@ Specification of CAR formats: https://ipld.io/specs/transport/car/
 		cmds.FileArg("path", true, true, "The path of a .car file.").EnableStdin(),
 	},
 	Options: []cmds.Option{
-		cmds.BoolOption(pinRootsOptionName, "Pin optional roots listed in the .car headers after importing.").WithDefault(true),
+		cmds.BoolOption(pinRootsOptionName, "Pin optional roots listed in the .car headers after importing."),
 		cmds.BoolOption(silentOptionName, "No output."),
 		cmds.BoolOption(statsOptionName, "Output stats."),
 		cmdutils.AllowBigBlockOption,
diff --git a/docs/changelogs/v0.21.md b/docs/changelogs/v0.21.md
index 03420174814b..409e138baacf 100644
--- a/docs/changelogs/v0.21.md
+++ b/docs/changelogs/v0.21.md
@@ -4,17 +4,20 @@
 
 ## v0.21.0
 
-- [Overview](#overview)
-- [🔦 Highlights](#-highlights)
-  - [Saving previously seen nodes for later bootstrapping](#saving-previously-seen-nodes-for-later-bootstrapping)
-  - [Gateway: `DeserializedResponses` config flag](#gateway-deserializedresponses-config-flag)
-  - [`client/rpc` migration of `go-ipfs-http-client`](#clientrpc-migration-of-go-ipfs-http-client)
-  - [Gateway: DAG-CBOR/-JSON previews and improved error pages](#gateway-dag-cbor-json-previews-and-improved-error-pages)
-  - [Gateway: subdomain redirects are now `text/html`](#gateway-subdomain-redirects-are-now-texthtml)
-  - [`ipfs dag stat` deduping statistics](#ipfs-dag-stat-deduping-statistics)
-  - [Accelerated DHT Client is no longer experimental](#--empty-repo-is-now-the-default)
-- [📝 Changelog](#-changelog)
-- [👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Contributors](#-contributors)
+* [v0.21.0](#v0210)
+  * [Overview](#overview)
+  * [🔦 Highlights](#-highlights)
+    * [Saving previously seen nodes for later bootstrapping](#saving-previously-seen-nodes-for-later-bootstrapping)
+    * [Gateway: `DeserializedResponses` config flag](#gateway-deserializedresponses-config-flag)
+    * [`client/rpc` migration of `go-ipfs-http-client`](#clientrpc-migration-of-go-ipfs-http-client)
+    * [Gateway: DAG-CBOR/-JSON previews and improved error pages](#gateway-dag-cbor-json-previews-and-improved-error-pages)
+    * [Gateway: subdomain redirects are now `text/html`](#gateway-subdomain-redirects-are-now-texthtml)
+    * [Gateway: support for CAR parameters of IPIP-402](#gateway-support-for-car-parameters-of-ipip-402)
+    * [`ipfs dag import` no longer pins by default](#ipfs-dag-import-no-longer-pins-by-default)
+    * [`ipfs dag stat` deduping statistics](#ipfs-dag-stat-deduping-statistics)
+    * [Accelerated DHT Client is no longer experimental](#accelerated-dht-client-is-no-longer-experimental)
+  * [📝 Changelog](#-changelog)
+  * [👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Contributors](#-contributors)
 
 ### Overview
 
@@ -108,6 +111,10 @@ Rationale can be found in [kubo#9913](https://github.com/ipfs/kubo/pull/9913).
 
 The gateway now supports partial CAR export parameters as indicated in [IPIP-402](https://github.com/ipfs/specs/pull/402).
 
+#### `ipfs dag import` no longer pins by default
+
+With the gateway now supporting partial CAR exports, and incomplete DAG CARs becoming increasingly common. The pinning mode when using `ipfs dag import` has changed such that pinning the DAG or part of a DAG within an imported CAR is optional. To attempt to pin the DAG referenced by any roots in the CAR, opt in with the `--pin-roots` option.
+
 #### `ipfs dag stat` deduping statistics
 
 `ipfs dat stat` now accept multiple CIDs and will dump advanced statistics
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0054-dag-car-import-export.sh b/test/sharness/t0054-dag-car-import-export.sh
index fe6f11476912..0ea3a53395f4 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0054-dag-car-import-export.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0054-dag-car-import-export.sh
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ EOE
   '
 
   test_expect_success "import/pin naked roots only, relying on local blockstore having all the data" '
-    ipfsi 1 dag import --stats --enc=json ../t0054-dag-car-import-export-data/combined_naked_roots_genesis_and_128.car \
+    ipfsi 1 dag import --stats --enc=json --pin-roots ../t0054-dag-car-import-export-data/combined_naked_roots_genesis_and_128.car \
       > naked_import_result_json_actual
   '
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ EOE
 head -3 multiroot_import_json_stats_expected > multiroot_import_json_expected
 
 test_expect_success "multiroot import works (--enc=json)" '
-  ipfs dag import --enc=json ../t0054-dag-car-import-export-data/lotus_testnet_export_256_multiroot.car > multiroot_import_json_actual
+  ipfs dag import --enc=json --pin-roots ../t0054-dag-car-import-export-data/lotus_testnet_export_256_multiroot.car > multiroot_import_json_actual
 '
 test_expect_success "multiroot import expected output" '
   test_cmp_sorted multiroot_import_json_expected multiroot_import_json_actual
@@ -215,12 +215,12 @@ cat >pin_import_expected << EOE
 {"Stats":{"BlockCount":1198,"BlockBytesCount":468513}}
 EOE
 test_expect_success "pin-less import works" '
-  ipfs dag import --stats --enc=json --pin-roots=false \
+  ipfs dag import --stats --enc=json \
   ../t0054-dag-car-import-export-data/lotus_devnet_genesis.car \
   ../t0054-dag-car-import-export-data/lotus_testnet_export_128.car \
     > no-pin_import_actual
 '
-test_expect_success "expected no pins on --pin-roots=false" '
+test_expect_success "expected no pins on" '
   test_cmp pin_import_expected no-pin_import_actual
 '
 
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ cat > version_2_import_expected << EOE
 EOE
 
 test_expect_success "version 2 import" '
-  ipfs dag import --stats --enc=json \
+  ipfs dag import --stats --enc=json --pin-roots \
     ../t0054-dag-car-import-export-data/lotus_testnet_export_128_v2.car \
     ../t0054-dag-car-import-export-data/lotus_devnet_genesis_v2.car \
   > version_2_import_actual
diff --git a/testplans/bitswap/main.go b/testplans/bitswap/main.go
index aa98d4f31aed..0af2ad95c6b3 100644
--- a/testplans/bitswap/main.go
+++ b/testplans/bitswap/main.go
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/testground/sdk-go/runtime"
 	"github.com/testground/sdk-go/sync"
 
-	bitswap "github.com/ipfs/go-libipfs/bitswap"
-	bsnet "github.com/ipfs/go-libipfs/bitswap/network"
-	block "github.com/ipfs/go-libipfs/blocks"
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	datastore "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore"
 	blockstore "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-blockstore"
 	exchange "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-exchange-interface"
 	bstats "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-regression/bitswap"
+	bitswap "github.com/ipfs/go-libipfs/bitswap"
+	bsnet "github.com/ipfs/go-libipfs/bitswap/network"
+	block "github.com/ipfs/go-libipfs/blocks"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p"
 	dht "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-kad-dht"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/host"