diff --git a/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/lang/en/assignfeedback_editpdf.php b/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/lang/en/assignfeedback_editpdf.php
index 6aec217dad2..fe6a7ec8448 100644
--- a/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/lang/en/assignfeedback_editpdf.php
+++ b/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/lang/en/assignfeedback_editpdf.php
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ $string['command'] = 'Command:';
 $string['commentcontextmenu'] = 'Comment context menu';
 $string['couldnotsavepage'] = 'Could not save page {$a}';
 $string['currentstamp'] = 'Stamp';
+$string['default'] = 'Enabled by default';
+$string['default_help'] = 'If set, this feedback method will be enabled by default for all new assignments.';
 $string['deleteannotation'] = 'Delete annotation';
 $string['deletecomment'] = 'Delete comment';
 $string['deletefeedback'] = 'Delete feedback PDF';
diff --git a/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/locallib.php b/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/locallib.php
index c8bc5cfc473..5da7e4b4c75 100644
--- a/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/locallib.php
@@ -332,12 +332,11 @@ class assign_feedback_editpdf extends assign_feedback_plugin {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Automatically enable or disable editpdf feedback plugin based on
-     * whether the ghostscript path is set correctly.
+     * Determine if ghostscript is available and working.
      *
      * @return bool
      */
-    public function is_enabled() {
+    public function is_available() {
         if ($this->enabledcache === null) {
             $testpath = assignfeedback_editpdf\pdf::test_gs_path(false);
             $this->enabledcache = ($testpath->status == assignfeedback_editpdf\pdf::GSPATH_OK);
@@ -345,12 +344,12 @@ class assign_feedback_editpdf extends assign_feedback_plugin {
         return $this->enabledcache;
     }
     /**
-     * Automatically hide the setting for the editpdf feedback plugin.
+     * Prevent enabling this plugin if ghostscript is not available.
      *
      * @return bool false
      */
     public function is_configurable() {
-        return false;
+        return $this->is_available();
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/settings.php b/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/settings.php
index 674a21f7dc5..64355fd7c74 100644
--- a/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/settings.php
+++ b/mod/assign/feedback/editpdf/settings.php
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@
 
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
+// Enabled by default.
+$settings->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('assignfeedback_editpdf/default',
+                   new lang_string('default', 'assignfeedback_editpdf'),
+                   new lang_string('default_help', 'assignfeedback_editpdf'), 1));
+
 // Stamp files setting.
 $name = 'assignfeedback_editpdf/stamps';
 $title = get_string('stamps','assignfeedback_editpdf');