diff --git a/plugins/inputs/tcp_listener/tcp_listener.go b/plugins/inputs/tcp_listener/tcp_listener.go
index a8827c037fb29..1777491d6fe80 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/tcp_listener/tcp_listener.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/tcp_listener/tcp_listener.go
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ const sampleConfig = `
 
   ## Number of TCP messages allowed to queue up. Once filled, the
   ## TCP listener will start dropping packets.
-  allowed_pending_messages = 10000
+  # allowed_pending_messages = 10000
 
   ## Maximum number of concurrent TCP connections to allow
-  max_tcp_connections = 250
+  # max_tcp_connections = 250
 
   ## Data format to consume.
   ## Each data format has it's own unique set of configuration options, read
@@ -276,6 +276,9 @@ func (t *TcpListener) remember(id string, conn *net.TCPConn) {
 
 func init() {
 	inputs.Add("tcp_listener", func() telegraf.Input {
-		return &TcpListener{}
+		return &TcpListener{
+			AllowedPendingMessages: 10000,
+			MaxTCPConnections:      250,
+		}
 	})
 }
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/udp_listener/udp_listener.go b/plugins/inputs/udp_listener/udp_listener.go
index d2c4d0bbc5eff..4ea631b50abf3 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/udp_listener/udp_listener.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/udp_listener/udp_listener.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ const sampleConfig = `
 
   ## Number of UDP messages allowed to queue up. Once filled, the
   ## UDP listener will start dropping packets.
-  allowed_pending_messages = 10000
+  # allowed_pending_messages = 10000
 
   ## Data format to consume.
   ## Each data format has it's own unique set of configuration options, read
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ func (u *UdpListener) udpParser() error {
 
 func init() {
 	inputs.Add("udp_listener", func() telegraf.Input {
-		return &UdpListener{}
+		return &UdpListener{
+			AllowedPendingMessages: 10000,
+		}
 	})
 }