diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index 49644a6e5..cd9d4b0a0 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ## New in git-machete 3.11.0
 
 - added: `git machete help config` help topic and sphinx documentation page for config keys and environment variables
-- added: boolean git config key `machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile` that enables per-worktree machete definition file (as opposed to a single central `.git/machete` file for all worktrees)
+- added: boolean git config key `machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile` for switching the machete file location for worktrees: a single central `.git/machete` for all worktrees (as up to 3.10) or a per-worktree `.git/worktrees/.../machete`
 - added: when GitHub token is invalid/expired, provide information which token provider has been used
 
 ## New in git-machete 3.10.1
diff --git a/docs/source/cli_help/file.rst b/docs/source/cli_help/file.rst
index f34a151d4..76b369d9f 100644
--- a/docs/source/cli_help/file.rst
+++ b/docs/source/cli_help/file.rst
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@ Three cases are possible:
     * if ``git machete`` is executed from a regular working directory (not a worktree or submodule), the file is located under ``.git/machete``,
     * if ``git machete`` is executed from a **worktree**, the file path depends on the ``machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile`` config key value:
 
-        * if ``machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile`` is true, the file is located under ``.git/machete``
-        * if ``machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile`` is false (default), the file is located under ``.git/worktrees/.../machete``,
+        * if ``machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile`` is true (default), the file is located under ``.git/machete``
+        * if ``machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile`` is false, the file is located under ``.git/worktrees/.../machete``,
     * if ``git machete`` is executed from a **submodule**, this file is located in the git folder of the submodule itself under ``.git/modules/.../machete``.
diff --git a/git_machete/client.py b/git_machete/client.py
index 1ade6ba0c..2708312aa 100644
--- a/git_machete/client.py
+++ b/git_machete/client.py
@@ -934,7 +934,8 @@ def fp_hash(branch_: LocalBranchShortName) -> Optional[FullCommitHash]:
         hook_path = self.__git.get_hook_path("machete-status-branch")
         hook_executable = self.__git.check_hook_executable(hook_path)
 
-        maybe_space_before_branch_name = ' ' if self.__git.get_boolean_config_attr('machete.status.extraSpaceBeforeBranchName') else ''
+        maybe_space_before_branch_name = ' ' if self.__git.get_boolean_config_attr(key='machete.status.extraSpaceBeforeBranchName',
+                                                                                   default_value=False) else ''
 
         def print_line_prefix(branch_: LocalBranchShortName, suffix: str) -> None:
             out.write("  " + maybe_space_before_branch_name)
diff --git a/git_machete/docs.py b/git_machete/docs.py
index a7a13dbf6..85d9781f6 100644
--- a/git_machete/docs.py
+++ b/git_machete/docs.py
@@ -313,8 +313,8 @@
         Three cases are possible:
         * if `git machete` is executed from a regular working directory (not a worktree or submodule), the file is located under `.git/machete`,
         * if `git machete` is executed from a <b>worktree</b>, the file path depends on the `machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile` config key value:
-          * if `machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile` is true, the file is located under `.git/machete`
-          * if `machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile` is false (default), the file is located under `.git/worktrees/.../machete`,
+          * if `machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile` is true (default), the file is located under `.git/machete`
+          * if `machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile` is false, the file is located under `.git/worktrees/.../machete`,
         * if `git machete` is executed from a <b>submodule</b>, this file is located in the git folder of the submodule itself under `.git/modules/.../machete`.
     """,
     "fork-point": """
diff --git a/git_machete/git_operations.py b/git_machete/git_operations.py
index 3b58b7041..d4904cc68 100644
--- a/git_machete/git_operations.py
+++ b/git_machete/git_operations.py
@@ -296,7 +296,8 @@ def get_main_git_subpath(self, *fragments: str) -> str:
         return os.path.join(self.__get_main_git_dir(), *fragments)
 
     def get_git_machete_definition_file_path(self) -> str:
-        use_top_level_machete_file = self.get_boolean_config_attr(key='machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile')
+        use_top_level_machete_file = self.get_boolean_config_attr(key='machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile',
+                                                                  default_value=True)
         return os.path.join(self.__get_main_git_dir() if use_top_level_machete_file else self.__get_worktree_git_dir(), 'machete')
 
     def get_git_timespec_parsed_to_unix_timestamp(self, date: str) -> int:
@@ -318,9 +319,11 @@ def get_config_attr_or_none(self, key: str) -> Optional[str]:
         self.__ensure_config_loaded()
         return self.__config_cached.get(key.lower())
 
-    def get_boolean_config_attr(self, key: str) -> bool:
+    def get_boolean_config_attr(self, key: str, default_value: bool) -> bool:
         self.__ensure_config_loaded()
-        return self.__config_cached.get(key.lower()) == 'true'
+        if self.__config_cached.get(key.lower()) is not None:
+            return self.__config_cached.get(key.lower()) == 'true'
+        return default_value
 
     def set_config_attr(self, key: str, value: str) -> None:
         self._run_git("config", "--", key, value)
diff --git a/tests/test_file.py b/tests/test_file.py
index 355a4f316..3bb3cbdd8 100644
--- a/tests/test_file.py
+++ b/tests/test_file.py
@@ -41,12 +41,21 @@ def test_file(self, mocker: Any) -> None:
         definition_file_path_relative_to_git_dir = '/'.join(definition_file_path[-2:]).rstrip('\n')
         assert definition_file_path_relative_to_git_dir == '.git/machete'
 
-        # check git machete definition file path when inside a worktree
         if GitContext().get_git_version() >= (2, 5):  # `git worktree` command was introduced in git version 2.5
+            # check git machete definition file path when inside a worktree using the default `True` value
+            # for the `machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile` key
+            self.repo_sandbox.execute("git worktree add -f -b snickers_feature snickers_worktree develop")
+            os.chdir('snickers_worktree')
+            definition_file_full_path = launch_command("file")
+            definition_file_path = Path(definition_file_full_path).parts
+            definition_file_path_relative_to_git_dir = '/'.join(definition_file_path[-2:]).rstrip('\n')
+            assert definition_file_path_relative_to_git_dir == '.git/machete'
+
+            # check git machete definition file path when inside a worktree but with the `machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile` key set to `False`
             self.repo_sandbox.add_git_config_key('machete.worktree.useTopLevelMacheteFile', 'false')
-            self.repo_sandbox.execute("git worktree add -f -b new_feature test_worktree develop")
-            os.chdir('test_worktree')
+            self.repo_sandbox.execute("git worktree add -f -b mars_feature mars_worktree develop")
+            os.chdir('mars_worktree')
             definition_file_full_path = launch_command("file")
             definition_file_path = Path(definition_file_full_path).parts
             definition_file_path_relative_to_git_dir = '/'.join(definition_file_path[-4:]).rstrip('\n')
-            assert definition_file_path_relative_to_git_dir == '.git/worktrees/test_worktree/machete'
+            assert definition_file_path_relative_to_git_dir == '.git/worktrees/mars_worktree/machete'