diff --git a/acorn.js b/acorn.js
index 1ba5c83017..f2856fe72d 100644
--- a/acorn.js
+++ b/acorn.js
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@
     initTokenState();
     var startPos = options.locations ? [tokPos, curPosition()] : tokPos;
     initParserState();
+    if (options.strictMode) {
+      strict = true;
+    }
     return parseTopLevel(options.program || startNodeAt(startPos));
   };
 
@@ -52,6 +55,7 @@
   // the parser process. These options are recognized:
 
   var defaultOptions = exports.defaultOptions = {
+    strictMode: false,
     playground: false,
     // `ecmaVersion` indicates the ECMAScript version to parse. Must
     // be either 3, or 5, or 6. This influences support for strict
@@ -172,9 +176,6 @@
         comments.push(comment);
       };
     }
-    if (options.strictMode) {
-      strict = true;
-    }
     if (options.ecmaVersion >= 6) {
       isKeyword = isEcma6Keyword;
     } else {