diff --git a/docs/release-notes/rl-2305.adoc b/docs/release-notes/rl-2305.adoc
index 8c737db12aba..6d16e784a3e2 100644
--- a/docs/release-notes/rl-2305.adoc
+++ b/docs/release-notes/rl-2305.adoc
@@ -16,4 +16,8 @@ This release has the following notable changes:
 The state version in this release includes the changes below.
 These changes are only active if the `home.stateVersion` option is set to "23.05" or later.
 
-* No changes.
+* The <<opt-xsession.windowManager.i3.config.window.titlebar>>,
+<<opt-xsession.windowManager.i3.config.floating.titlebar>>,
+<<opt-wayland.windowManager.sway.config.window.titlebar>>,
+<<opt-wayland.windowManager.sway.config.floating.titlebar>>, options now default to `true` which
+is consistent with the default values for those options used by `i3` and `sway`.
diff --git a/modules/misc/news.nix b/modules/misc/news.nix
index 9ed95f3d137a..f59d50b591b2 100644
--- a/modules/misc/news.nix
+++ b/modules/misc/news.nix
@@ -877,6 +877,15 @@ in
           A new module is available: 'services.clipman'.
         '';
       }
+
+      {
+        time = "2023-01-07T10:47:03+00:00";
+        condition = hostPlatform.isLinux;
+        message = ''
+          'xsession.windowManager.i3.config.[window|floating].titlebar' and
+          'wayland.windowManager.sway.config.[window|floating].titlebar' now default to 'true'.
+        '';
+      }
     ];
   };
 }
diff --git a/modules/services/window-managers/i3-sway/i3.nix b/modules/services/window-managers/i3-sway/i3.nix
index dc4ffc2f1faa..453367cee6a5 100644
--- a/modules/services/window-managers/i3-sway/i3.nix
+++ b/modules/services/window-managers/i3-sway/i3.nix
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ let
   commonOptions = import ./lib/options.nix {
     inherit config lib cfg pkgs;
     moduleName = "i3";
-    isGaps = cfg.package == pkgs.i3-gaps;
   };
 
   configModule = types.submodule {
@@ -209,16 +208,7 @@ in {
     xsession.windowManager.i3 = {
       enable = mkEnableOption "i3 window manager";
 
-      package = mkOption {
-        type = types.package;
-        default = pkgs.i3;
-        defaultText = literalExpression "pkgs.i3";
-        example = literalExpression "pkgs.i3-gaps";
-        description = ''
-          i3 package to use.
-          If 'i3.config.gaps' settings are specified, 'pkgs.i3-gaps' will be set as a default package.
-        '';
-      };
+      package = mkPackageOption pkgs "i3" { };
 
       config = mkOption {
         type = types.nullOr configModule;
@@ -260,10 +250,7 @@ in {
       };
     }
 
-    (mkIf (cfg.config != null) {
-      xsession.windowManager.i3.package =
-        mkDefault (if (cfg.config.gaps != null) then pkgs.i3-gaps else pkgs.i3);
-    })
+    (mkIf (cfg.config != null) { xsession.windowManager.i3.package = pkgs.i3; })
 
     (mkIf (cfg.config != null) {
       warnings = (optional (isList cfg.config.fonts)
diff --git a/modules/services/window-managers/i3-sway/lib/options.nix b/modules/services/window-managers/i3-sway/lib/options.nix
index 600121e0da48..d04a11762fcc 100644
--- a/modules/services/window-managers/i3-sway/lib/options.nix
+++ b/modules/services/window-managers/i3-sway/lib/options.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-{ config, lib, moduleName, cfg, pkgs, capitalModuleName ? moduleName
-, isGaps ? true }:
+{ config, lib, moduleName, cfg, pkgs, capitalModuleName ? moduleName }:
 
 with lib;
 
@@ -7,6 +6,8 @@ let
   isI3 = moduleName == "i3";
   isSway = !isI3;
 
+  inherit (config.home) stateVersion;
+
   fontOptions = types.submodule {
     options = {
       names = mkOption {
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ let
 
   barModule = types.submodule {
     options = let
-      versionAtLeast2009 = versionAtLeast config.home.stateVersion "20.09";
+      versionAtLeast2009 = versionAtLeast stateVersion "20.09";
       mkNullableOption = { type, default, ... }@args:
         mkOption (args // {
           type = types.nullOr type;
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ let
         defaultText = "i3bar";
         description = "Command that will be used to start a bar.";
         example = if isI3 then
-          "\${pkgs.i3-gaps}/bin/i3bar -t"
+          "\${pkgs.i3}/bin/i3bar -t"
         else
           "\${pkgs.waybar}/bin/waybar";
       };
@@ -389,11 +390,17 @@ in {
       options = {
         titlebar = mkOption {
           type = types.bool;
-          default = !isGaps;
-          defaultText = if isI3 then
-            "xsession.windowManager.i3.package != nixpkgs.i3-gaps (titlebar should be disabled for i3-gaps)"
+          default = if versionOlder stateVersion "23.05" then
+            (isI3 && (cfg.config.gaps == null))
           else
-            "false";
+            true;
+          defaultText = if isI3 then ''
+            true for state version ≥ 23.05
+            config.gaps == null for state version < 23.05
+          '' else ''
+            true for state version ≥ 23.05
+            false for state version < 23.05
+          '';
           description = "Whether to show window titlebars.";
         };
 
@@ -432,11 +439,17 @@ in {
       options = {
         titlebar = mkOption {
           type = types.bool;
-          default = !isGaps;
-          defaultText = if isI3 then
-            "xsession.windowManager.i3.package != nixpkgs.i3-gaps (titlebar should be disabled for i3-gaps)"
+          default = if versionOlder stateVersion "23.05" then
+            (isI3 && (cfg.config.gaps == null))
           else
-            "false";
+            true;
+          defaultText = if isI3 then ''
+            true for state version ≥ 23.05
+            config.gaps == null for state version < 23.05
+          '' else ''
+            true for state version ≥ 23.05
+            false for state version < 23.05
+          '';
           description = "Whether to show floating window titlebars.";
         };
 
@@ -670,7 +683,7 @@ in {
 
   bars = mkOption {
     type = types.listOf barModule;
-    default = if versionAtLeast config.home.stateVersion "20.09" then [{
+    default = if versionAtLeast stateVersion "20.09" then [{
       mode = "dock";
       hiddenState = "hide";
       position = "bottom";
@@ -826,10 +839,8 @@ in {
       };
     });
     default = null;
-    description = if isSway then ''
+    description = ''
       Gaps related settings.
-    '' else ''
-      i3Gaps related settings. The i3-gaps package must be used for these features to work.
     '';
   };