diff --git a/docs/sql-programming-guide.md b/docs/sql-programming-guide.md
index 6a1b0fbfa1eb..a0b911d20724 100644
--- a/docs/sql-programming-guide.md
+++ b/docs/sql-programming-guide.md
@@ -1687,7 +1687,7 @@ The following options can be used to configure the version of Hive that is used
   <tr><th>Property Name</th><th>Default</th><th>Meaning</th></tr>
   <tr>
     <td><code>spark.sql.hive.metastore.version</code></td>
-    <td><code>0.13.1</code></td>
+    <td><code>1.2.1</code></td>
     <td>
       Version of the Hive metastore. Available
       options are <code>0.12.0</code> through <code>1.2.1</code>.
diff --git a/sql/hive/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/HiveContext.scala b/sql/hive/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/HiveContext.scala
index 2e791cea96b4..d37ba5ddc2d8 100644
--- a/sql/hive/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/HiveContext.scala
+++ b/sql/hive/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/HiveContext.scala
@@ -111,8 +111,7 @@ class HiveContext(sc: SparkContext) extends SQLContext(sc) with Logging {
    * this does not necessarily need to be the same version of Hive that is used internally by
    * Spark SQL for execution.
    */
-  protected[hive] def hiveMetastoreVersion: String =
-    getConf(HIVE_METASTORE_VERSION, hiveExecutionVersion)
+  protected[hive] def hiveMetastoreVersion: String = getConf(HIVE_METASTORE_VERSION)
 
   /**
    * The location of the jars that should be used to instantiate the HiveMetastoreClient.  This
@@ -202,7 +201,7 @@ class HiveContext(sc: SparkContext) extends SQLContext(sc) with Logging {
           "Builtin jars can only be used when hive execution version == hive metastore version. " +
           s"Execution: ${hiveExecutionVersion} != Metastore: ${hiveMetastoreVersion}. " +
           "Specify a vaild path to the correct hive jars using $HIVE_METASTORE_JARS " +
-          s"or change $HIVE_METASTORE_VERSION to $hiveExecutionVersion.")
+          s"or change ${HIVE_METASTORE_VERSION.key} to $hiveExecutionVersion.")
       }
 
       // We recursively find all jars in the class loader chain,
@@ -606,7 +605,11 @@ private[hive] object HiveContext {
   /** The version of hive used internally by Spark SQL. */
   val hiveExecutionVersion: String = "1.2.1"
 
-  val HIVE_METASTORE_VERSION: String = "spark.sql.hive.metastore.version"
+  val HIVE_METASTORE_VERSION = stringConf("spark.sql.hive.metastore.version",
+    defaultValue = Some(hiveExecutionVersion),
+    doc = "Version of the Hive metastore. Available options are " +
+        s"<code>0.12.0</code> through <code>$hiveExecutionVersion</code>.")
+
   val HIVE_METASTORE_JARS = stringConf("spark.sql.hive.metastore.jars",
     defaultValue = Some("builtin"),
     doc = s"""