diff --git a/gamedir/Data-1.13/Ja2_Options.INI b/gamedir/Data-1.13/Ja2_Options.INI
index a0c14fd82..8cf04d14e 100644
--- a/gamedir/Data-1.13/Ja2_Options.INI
+++ b/gamedir/Data-1.13/Ja2_Options.INI
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ SHOW_SKILLS_IN_HIRING_PAGE = FALSE
 ; Valid +/- random range for stats (0-50), for EXP (0-4)
 ;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-MERCS_RANDOM_STATS 			= 1
+MERCS_RANDOM_STATS 			  = 0
 MERCS_RANDOM_STAT_RANGE		= 10
 MERCS_RANDOM_EXP_RANGE		= 1
 
diff --git a/gamedir/Data-UB/Ja2_Options.ini b/gamedir/Data-UB/Ja2_Options.ini
index e33f96436..4b0523b7e 100644
--- a/gamedir/Data-UB/Ja2_Options.ini
+++ b/gamedir/Data-UB/Ja2_Options.ini
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ SHOW_SKILLS_IN_HIRING_PAGE = FALSE
 ; Valid +/- random range for stats (0-50), for EXP (0-4)
 ;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-MERCS_RANDOM_STATS 			= 0
+MERCS_RANDOM_STATS 			  = 0
 MERCS_RANDOM_STAT_RANGE		= 10
 MERCS_RANDOM_EXP_RANGE		= 1