diff --git a/include/nlohmann/detail/output/fancy_serializer.hpp b/include/nlohmann/detail/output/fancy_serializer.hpp
index 315cba31f..580ecb571 100644
--- a/include/nlohmann/detail/output/fancy_serializer.hpp
+++ b/include/nlohmann/detail/output/fancy_serializer.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace nlohmann
 
 struct fancy_serializer_style
 {
-    unsigned int indent_step = 0;
+    unsigned int indent_step = 4;
     char indent_char = ' ';
 
     unsigned int depth_limit = std::numeric_limits<unsigned>::max();
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ class fancy_serializer
         Iterator i, bool ensure_ascii, unsigned int depth,
         const fancy_serializer_style* active_style)
     {
-        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step;
+        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;
         const int newline_len = (active_style->indent_step > 0);
 
         o->write_characters(indent_string.c_str(), new_indent);
@@ -238,8 +238,8 @@ class fancy_serializer
         }
 
         // variable to hold indentation for recursive calls
-        const auto old_indent = depth * active_style->indent_step;
-        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step;
+        const auto old_indent = depth * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;
+        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;
         if (JSON_UNLIKELY(indent_string.size() < new_indent))
         {
             indent_string.resize(indent_string.size() * 2, active_style->indent_char);
@@ -283,8 +283,8 @@ class fancy_serializer
         }
 
         // variable to hold indentation for recursive calls
-        const auto old_indent = depth * active_style->indent_step;
-        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step;
+        const auto old_indent = depth * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;;
+        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;;
         if (JSON_UNLIKELY(indent_string.size() < new_indent))
         {
             indent_string.resize(indent_string.size() * 2, active_style->indent_char);
diff --git a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index 6edec302f..fa5b7f251 100644
--- a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -10097,7 +10097,7 @@ namespace nlohmann
 
 struct fancy_serializer_style
 {
-    unsigned int indent_step = 0;
+    unsigned int indent_step = 4;
     char indent_char = ' ';
 
     unsigned int depth_limit = std::numeric_limits<unsigned>::max();
@@ -10280,7 +10280,7 @@ class fancy_serializer
         Iterator i, bool ensure_ascii, unsigned int depth,
         const fancy_serializer_style* active_style)
     {
-        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step;
+        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;
         const int newline_len = (active_style->indent_step > 0);
 
         o->write_characters(indent_string.c_str(), new_indent);
@@ -10308,8 +10308,8 @@ class fancy_serializer
         }
 
         // variable to hold indentation for recursive calls
-        const auto old_indent = depth * active_style->indent_step;
-        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step;
+        const auto old_indent = depth * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;
+        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;
         if (JSON_UNLIKELY(indent_string.size() < new_indent))
         {
             indent_string.resize(indent_string.size() * 2, active_style->indent_char);
@@ -10353,8 +10353,8 @@ class fancy_serializer
         }
 
         // variable to hold indentation for recursive calls
-        const auto old_indent = depth * active_style->indent_step;
-        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step;
+        const auto old_indent = depth * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;;
+        const auto new_indent = (depth + 1) * active_style->indent_step * active_style->multiline;;
         if (JSON_UNLIKELY(indent_string.size() < new_indent))
         {
             indent_string.resize(indent_string.size() * 2, active_style->indent_char);
diff --git a/test/src/unit-fancy-serialization.cpp b/test/src/unit-fancy-serialization.cpp
index 6f00a9b21..edb371593 100644
--- a/test/src/unit-fancy-serialization.cpp
+++ b/test/src/unit-fancy-serialization.cpp
@@ -201,7 +201,6 @@ TEST_CASE("serialization")
             auto str_flat = fancy_to_string({1, {1}}, style);
             CHECK(str_flat == "[1,[...]]");
 
-            style.indent_step = 4;
             style.multiline = true;
             auto str_lines = fancy_to_string({1, {1}}, style);
             CHECK(str_lines == dedent(R"(
@@ -219,7 +218,6 @@ TEST_CASE("serialization")
             auto str_flat = fancy_to_string({1, {{"one", 1}}}, style);
             CHECK(str_flat == "[1,{...}]");
 
-            style.indent_step = 4;
             style.multiline = true;
             auto str_lines = fancy_to_string({1, {{"one", 1}}}, style);
             CHECK(str_lines == dedent(R"(
@@ -235,9 +233,7 @@ TEST_CASE("serialization")
         SECTION("can style objects of a key differently")
         {
             fancy_serializer_stylizer stylizer;
-            stylizer.get_default_style().indent_step = 4;
             stylizer.get_default_style().multiline = true;
-            stylizer.get_or_insert_style("one line").indent_step = 0;
             stylizer.get_or_insert_style("one line").multiline = false;
 
             auto str = fancy_to_string(
@@ -264,8 +260,7 @@ TEST_CASE("serialization")
         SECTION("changes propagate (unless overridden)")
         {
             fancy_serializer_stylizer stylizer;
-            stylizer.get_default_style().indent_step = 4;
-            stylizer.get_default_style().multiline = 4;
+            stylizer.get_default_style().multiline = true;
             stylizer.get_or_insert_style("one line").indent_step = 0;
 
             auto str = fancy_to_string(
@@ -286,8 +281,7 @@ TEST_CASE("serialization")
     SECTION("given width")
     {
         fancy_serializer_style style;
-        style.indent_step = 4;
-        style.multiline = 4;
+        style.multiline = true;
         auto str = fancy_to_string({"foo", 1, 2, 3, false, {{"one", 1}}}, style);
         CHECK(str == dedent(R"(
               [