diff --git a/maven-core/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/project/PomConstructionTest.java b/maven-core/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/project/PomConstructionTest.java
index cf8ec176790a..90f673db08a3 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/project/PomConstructionTest.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/project/PomConstructionTest.java
@@ -1219,7 +1219,7 @@ public void testReportingPluginConfig() throws Exception {
     @Test
     public void testPropertiesNoDuplication() throws Exception {
         PomTestWrapper pom = buildPom("properties-no-duplication/sub");
-        assertEquals(1, ((Properties) pom.getValue("properties")).size());
+        assertEquals(3, ((Properties) pom.getValue("properties")).size());
         assertEquals("child", pom.getValue("properties/pomProfile"));
     }
 
@@ -1342,8 +1342,10 @@ private void testCompleteModel(PomTestWrapper pom) throws Exception {
         assertEquals(1, ((List<?>) pom.getValue("modules")).size());
         assertEquals("sub", pom.getValue("modules[1]"));
 
-        assertEquals(1, ((Map<?, ?>) pom.getValue("properties")).size());
+        assertEquals(3, ((Map<?, ?>) pom.getValue("properties")).size());
         assertEquals("project-property", pom.getValue("properties[1]/itProperty"));
+        assertEquals("UTF-8", pom.getValue("properties[1]/project.build.sourceEncoding"));
+        assertEquals("UTF-8", pom.getValue("properties[1]/project.reporting.outputEncoding"));
 
         assertEquals(1, ((List<?>) pom.getValue("dependencyManagement/dependencies")).size());
         assertEquals("org.apache.maven.its", pom.getValue("dependencyManagement/dependencies[1]/groupId"));
diff --git a/maven-model-builder/src/main/resources/org/apache/maven/model/pom-4.0.0.xml b/maven-model-builder/src/main/resources/org/apache/maven/model/pom-4.0.0.xml
index 1c5db28b8f06..46ab2ae6d15d 100644
--- a/maven-model-builder/src/main/resources/org/apache/maven/model/pom-4.0.0.xml
+++ b/maven-model-builder/src/main/resources/org/apache/maven/model/pom-4.0.0.xml
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ under the License.
 <project>
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+    <project.reporting.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.reporting.outputEncoding>
+  </properties>
+
   <repositories>
     <repository>
       <id>central</id>
diff --git a/maven-model-builder/src/site/apt/index.apt b/maven-model-builder/src/site/apt/index.apt
index b18f0febd8f6..270d2a8eb0e7 100644
--- a/maven-model-builder/src/site/apt/index.apt
+++ b/maven-model-builder/src/site/apt/index.apt
@@ -225,11 +225,13 @@ Maven Model Builder
 
     * <<<$\{project.build.sourceEncoding\}>>> for
     {{{https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/MAVEN/POM+Element+for+Source+File+Encoding}source files encoding}}
-    (defaults to platform encoding)
+    (defaults to <<<UTF-8>>> since Maven 4.0.0, no default value was provided in Maven 3.x, meaning that the platform
+    encoding was used by plugins)
 
     * <<<$\{project.reporting.outputEncoding\}>>> for
     {{{https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/MAVENOLD/Reporting+Encoding+Configuration}reporting output files encoding}}
-    (defaults to <<<UTF-8>>>)
+    (defaults to <<<UTF-8>>> since Maven 4.0.0, no default value was provided in Maven 3.x, plugins usually defaulting
+    to <<<UTF-8>>>)
 
     []