diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index 4445ad5c..ab2b0176 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -337,7 +337,6 @@ func (server *Server) RunClient(conn IRCConn) {
 	session.idletimer.Initialize(session)
 	session.resetFakelag()
 
-	ApplyUserModeChanges(client, config.Accounts.defaultUserModes, false, nil)
 	if wConn.Secure {
 		client.SetMode(modes.TLS, true)
 	}
diff --git a/irc/config.go b/irc/config.go
index 277413e1..d997f6d4 100644
--- a/irc/config.go
+++ b/irc/config.go
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ type AccountConfig struct {
 		exemptedNets []net.IPNet
 	} `yaml:"require-sasl"`
 	DefaultUserModes    *string `yaml:"default-user-modes"`
-	defaultUserModes    modes.ModeChanges
+	defaultUserModes    modes.Modes
 	LDAP                ldap.ServerConfig
 	LoginThrottling     ThrottleConfig `yaml:"login-throttling"`
 	SkipServerPassword  bool           `yaml:"skip-server-password"`
diff --git a/irc/modes.go b/irc/modes.go
index 06dd8e51..acea6b9d 100644
--- a/irc/modes.go
+++ b/irc/modes.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var (
 
 	// DefaultUserModes are set on all users when they login.
 	// this can be overridden in the `accounts` config, with the `default-user-modes` key
-	DefaultUserModes = modes.ModeChanges{}
+	DefaultUserModes = modes.Modes{}
 )
 
 // ApplyUserModeChanges applies the given changes, and returns the applied changes.
@@ -110,32 +110,35 @@ func ApplyUserModeChanges(client *Client, changes modes.ModeChanges, force bool,
 	return applied
 }
 
+// parseDefaultModes uses the provided mode change parser to parse the rawModes.
+func parseDefaultModes(rawModes string, parser func(params ...string) (modes.ModeChanges, map[rune]bool)) modes.Modes {
+	modeChangeStrings := strings.Fields(rawModes)
+	modeChanges, _ := parser(modeChangeStrings...)
+	defaultModes := make(modes.Modes, 0)
+	for _, modeChange := range modeChanges {
+		if modeChange.Op == modes.Add {
+			defaultModes = append(defaultModes, modeChange.Mode)
+		}
+	}
+	return defaultModes
+}
+
 // ParseDefaultChannelModes parses the `default-modes` line of the config
 func ParseDefaultChannelModes(rawModes *string) modes.Modes {
 	if rawModes == nil {
 		// not present in config, fall back to compile-time default
 		return DefaultChannelModes
 	}
-	modeChangeStrings := strings.Fields(*rawModes)
-	modeChanges, _ := modes.ParseChannelModeChanges(modeChangeStrings...)
-	defaultChannelModes := make(modes.Modes, 0)
-	for _, modeChange := range modeChanges {
-		if modeChange.Op == modes.Add {
-			defaultChannelModes = append(defaultChannelModes, modeChange.Mode)
-		}
-	}
-	return defaultChannelModes
+	return parseDefaultModes(*rawModes, modes.ParseChannelModeChanges)
 }
 
 // ParseDefaultUserModes parses the `default-user-modes` line of the config
-func ParseDefaultUserModes(rawModes *string) modes.ModeChanges {
+func ParseDefaultUserModes(rawModes *string) modes.Modes {
 	if rawModes == nil {
 		// not present in config, fall back to compile-time default
 		return DefaultUserModes
 	}
-	modeChangeStrings := strings.Fields(*rawModes)
-	modeChanges, _ := modes.ParseUserModeChanges(modeChangeStrings...)
-	return modeChanges
+	return parseDefaultModes(*rawModes, modes.ParseUserModeChanges)
 }
 
 // #1021: channel key must be valid as a non-final parameter
diff --git a/irc/modes_test.go b/irc/modes_test.go
index ca7aa6a8..005d0555 100644
--- a/irc/modes_test.go
+++ b/irc/modes_test.go
@@ -43,19 +43,19 @@ func TestParseDefaultUserModes(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var parseTests = []struct {
 		raw      *string
-		expected modes.ModeChanges
+		expected modes.Modes
 	}{
-		{&iR, modes.ModeChanges{{Mode: modes.Invisible, Op: modes.Add}, {Mode: modes.RegisteredOnly, Op: modes.Add}}},
-		{&i, modes.ModeChanges{{Mode: modes.Invisible, Op: modes.Add}}},
-		{&empty, modes.ModeChanges{}},
-		{&rminusi, modes.ModeChanges{{Mode: modes.RegisteredOnly, Op: modes.Add}}},
-		{nil, modes.ModeChanges{}},
+		{&iR, modes.Modes{modes.Invisible, modes.RegisteredOnly}},
+		{&i, modes.Modes{modes.Invisible}},
+		{&empty, modes.Modes{}},
+		{&rminusi, modes.Modes{modes.RegisteredOnly}},
+		{nil, modes.Modes{}},
 	}
 
 	for _, testcase := range parseTests {
 		result := ParseDefaultUserModes(testcase.raw)
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(result, testcase.expected) {
-			t.Errorf("expected modes %v, got %v", testcase.expected, result)
+			t.Errorf("expected modes %s, got %s", testcase.expected, result)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index bce3a101..dfeb118a 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -266,11 +266,18 @@ func (server *Server) tryRegister(c *Client, session *Session) (exiting bool) {
 		return true
 	}
 
+	// Apply default user modes (without updating the invisible counter)
+	// The number of invisible users will be updated by server.stats.Register
+	// if we're using default user mode +i.
+	for _, defaultMode := range server.Config().Accounts.defaultUserModes {
+		c.SetMode(defaultMode, true)
+	}
+
 	// registration has succeeded:
 	c.SetRegistered()
 
 	// count new user in statistics
-	server.stats.Register()
+	server.stats.Register(c.HasMode(modes.Invisible))
 	server.monitorManager.AlertAbout(c, true)
 
 	server.playRegistrationBurst(session)
diff --git a/irc/stats.go b/irc/stats.go
index a54f7269..ec765177 100644
--- a/irc/stats.go
+++ b/irc/stats.go
@@ -41,9 +41,12 @@ func (s *Stats) AddRegistered(invisible, operator bool) {
 }
 
 // Transition a client from unregistered to registered
-func (s *Stats) Register() {
+func (s *Stats) Register(invisible bool) {
 	s.mutex.Lock()
 	s.Unknown -= 1
+	if invisible {
+		s.Invisible += 1
+	}
 	s.Total += 1
 	s.setMax()
 	s.mutex.Unlock()