diff --git a/doc/jemalloc.xml.in b/doc/jemalloc.xml.in
index 1f692f78..7da1498a 100644
--- a/doc/jemalloc.xml.in
+++ b/doc/jemalloc.xml.in
@@ -857,8 +857,14 @@ for (i = 0; i < nbins; i++) {
         <option>--enable-stats</option> is specified during configuration, this
         has the potential to cause deadlock for a multi-threaded process that
         exits while one or more threads are executing in the memory allocation
-        functions.  Therefore, this option should only be used with care; it is
-        primarily intended as a performance tuning aid during application
+        functions.  Furthermore, <function>atexit<parameter/></function> may
+        allocate memory during application initialization and then deadlock
+        internally when jemalloc in turn calls
+        <function>atexit<parameter/></function>, so this option is not
+        univerally usable (though the application can register its own
+        <function>atexit<parameter/></function> function with equivalent
+        functionality).  Therefore, this option should only be used with care;
+        it is primarily intended as a performance tuning aid during application
         development.  This option is disabled by default.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
@@ -1155,7 +1161,13 @@ malloc_conf = "xmalloc:true";]]></programlisting>
         <filename>&lt;prefix&gt;.&lt;pid&gt;.&lt;seq&gt;.f.heap</filename>,
         where <literal>&lt;prefix&gt;</literal> is controlled by the <link
         linkend="opt.prof_prefix"><mallctl>opt.prof_prefix</mallctl></link>
-        option.  This option is enabled by default.</para></listitem>
+        option.  Note that <function>atexit<parameter/></function> may allocate
+        memory during application initialization and then deadlock internally
+        when jemalloc in turn calls <function>atexit<parameter/></function>, so
+        this option is not univerally usable (though the application can
+        register its own <function>atexit<parameter/></function> function with
+        equivalent functionality).  This option is disabled by
+        default.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry id="opt.prof_leak">
diff --git a/src/prof.c b/src/prof.c
index b3150a27..3e2e4277 100644
--- a/src/prof.c
+++ b/src/prof.c
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ bool		opt_prof_thread_active_init = true;
 size_t		opt_lg_prof_sample = LG_PROF_SAMPLE_DEFAULT;
 ssize_t		opt_lg_prof_interval = LG_PROF_INTERVAL_DEFAULT;
 bool		opt_prof_gdump = false;
-bool		opt_prof_final = true;
+bool		opt_prof_final = false;
 bool		opt_prof_leak = false;
 bool		opt_prof_accum = false;
 char		opt_prof_prefix[
@@ -1487,17 +1487,17 @@ prof_fdump(void)
 	char filename[DUMP_FILENAME_BUFSIZE];
 
 	cassert(config_prof);
+	assert(opt_prof_final);
+	assert(opt_prof_prefix[0] != '\0');
 
 	if (!prof_booted)
 		return;
 	tsd = tsd_fetch();
 
-	if (opt_prof_final && opt_prof_prefix[0] != '\0') {
-		malloc_mutex_lock(&prof_dump_seq_mtx);
-		prof_dump_filename(filename, 'f', VSEQ_INVALID);
-		malloc_mutex_unlock(&prof_dump_seq_mtx);
-		prof_dump(tsd, false, filename, opt_prof_leak);
-	}
+	malloc_mutex_lock(&prof_dump_seq_mtx);
+	prof_dump_filename(filename, 'f', VSEQ_INVALID);
+	malloc_mutex_unlock(&prof_dump_seq_mtx);
+	prof_dump(tsd, false, filename, opt_prof_leak);
 }
 
 void
@@ -2023,7 +2023,8 @@ prof_boot2(void)
 		if (malloc_mutex_init(&prof_dump_mtx))
 			return (true);
 
-		if (atexit(prof_fdump) != 0) {
+		if (opt_prof_final && opt_prof_prefix[0] != '\0' &&
+		    atexit(prof_fdump) != 0) {
 			malloc_write("<jemalloc>: Error in atexit()\n");
 			if (opt_abort)
 				abort();
diff --git a/test/unit/prof_active.c b/test/unit/prof_active.c
index d4bab8d0..81490957 100644
--- a/test/unit/prof_active.c
+++ b/test/unit/prof_active.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 #ifdef JEMALLOC_PROF
 const char *malloc_conf =
-    "prof:true,prof_thread_active_init:false,lg_prof_sample:0,prof_final:false";
+    "prof:true,prof_thread_active_init:false,lg_prof_sample:0";
 #endif
 
 static void
diff --git a/test/unit/prof_thread_name.c b/test/unit/prof_thread_name.c
index 6066dba7..f501158d 100644
--- a/test/unit/prof_thread_name.c
+++ b/test/unit/prof_thread_name.c
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #include "test/jemalloc_test.h"
 
 #ifdef JEMALLOC_PROF
-const char *malloc_conf =
-    "prof:true,prof_active:false,prof_final:false";
+const char *malloc_conf = "prof:true,prof_active:false";
 #endif
 
 static void