diff --git a/doc/user_guide/configuration/all-options.rst b/doc/user_guide/configuration/all-options.rst
index 568cdde85c..e2662fc49f 100644
--- a/doc/user_guide/configuration/all-options.rst
+++ b/doc/user_guide/configuration/all-options.rst
@@ -904,9 +904,9 @@ Standard Checkers
 
 --indent-string
 """""""""""""""
-*String used as indentation unit. This is usually "    " (4 spaces) or "\t" (1 tab).*
+*String used as indentation unit. This is usually "    " (4 spaces) or "\t" (1 tab).*
 
-**Default:**  ``    ``
+**Default:**  ``"    "``
 
 
 --max-line-length
diff --git a/doc/whatsnew/fragments/8392.other b/doc/whatsnew/fragments/8392.other
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bdff1a1e5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/whatsnew/fragments/8392.other
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Ensure the default value of 4 spaces for the `--indent-string` flag
+does not compress when using reStructuredText to make docs.
+
+Closes #8392
diff --git a/pylint/checkers/format.py b/pylint/checkers/format.py
index f8aecbda64..0ba1bce63e 100644
--- a/pylint/checkers/format.py
+++ b/pylint/checkers/format.py
@@ -219,11 +219,11 @@ class FormatChecker(BaseTokenChecker, BaseRawFileChecker):
         (
             "indent-string",
             {
-                "default": "    ",
+                "default": '"    "',
                 "type": "non_empty_string",
                 "metavar": "<string>",
                 "help": "String used as indentation unit. This is usually "
-                '"    " (4 spaces) or "\\t" (1 tab).',
+                '"    " (4 spaces) or "\\t" (1 tab).',  # noqa: RUF001
             },
         ),
         (