diff --git a/pkg/executor/test/memtest/mem_test.go b/pkg/executor/test/memtest/mem_test.go
index 0501b706657ae..751d5b2b1ba9c 100644
--- a/pkg/executor/test/memtest/mem_test.go
+++ b/pkg/executor/test/memtest/mem_test.go
@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@ func TestGlobalMemArbitrator(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tk.MustExecToErr("set @@tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode = standard") // only global
 	require.Equal(t, tk.ExecToErr("set global tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode = 1").Error(), "tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode: disable; standard; priority;")
-	require.Equal(t, memory.ArbitratorModeDisable, memory.GlobalMemArbitrator().WorkMode())
-	require.True(t, memory.GlobalMemArbitrator() == nil)
+	tk.MustQuery("select @@tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode").Check(testkit.Rows("priority"))
 
 	tk.MustExec("set global tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode = standard")
 	tk.MustQuery("select @@tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode").Check(testkit.Rows("standard"))
@@ -68,20 +67,19 @@ func TestGlobalMemArbitrator(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, memory.ArbitratorModePriority, memory.GlobalMemArbitrator().WorkMode())
 
 	tk.MustExec("set global tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode = default")
-	tk.MustQuery("select @@tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode").Check(testkit.Rows("disable"))
-	require.Equal(t, memory.ArbitratorModeDisable, memory.GlobalMemArbitrator().WorkMode())
+	tk.MustQuery("select @@tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode").Check(testkit.Rows("priority"))
 
 	const maxServerLimit uint64 = 1e15
 	maxServerLimitStr := fmt.Sprintf("%d", maxServerLimit)
 	tk.MustExec(fmt.Sprintf("set global tidb_server_memory_limit=%d", maxServerLimit))
 	tk.MustQuery("select @@tidb_server_memory_limit").Check(testkit.Rows(maxServerLimitStr))
 	require.Equal(t, maxServerLimit, memory.ServerMemoryLimit.Load())
-	require.Equal(t, uint64(0), memory.GlobalMemArbitrator().Limit()) // 0 under disable mode
+	require.Equal(t, maxServerLimit, memory.GlobalMemArbitrator().Limit())
 
 	require.Equal(t, tk.ExecToErr("set global tidb_mem_arbitrator_soft_limit=-1").Error(), "tidb_mem_arbitrator_soft_limit: 0 (default); (0, 1.0] float-rate * server-limit; (1, server-limit] integer bytes; auto;")
 	tk.MustExec("set global tidb_mem_arbitrator_soft_limit = 12345678")
 	tk.MustQuery("select @@tidb_mem_arbitrator_soft_limit").Check(testkit.Rows("12345678"))
-	require.Equal(t, uint64(0), memory.GlobalMemArbitrator().SoftLimit()) // 0 under disable mode
+	require.Equal(t, uint64(12345678), memory.GlobalMemArbitrator().SoftLimit())
 
 	// normal under standard mode
 	tk.MustExec("set global tidb_mem_arbitrator_mode = standard")
diff --git a/pkg/sessionctx/vardef/tidb_vars.go b/pkg/sessionctx/vardef/tidb_vars.go
index 74cb712df0e26..0dbe1fb6d6c38 100644
--- a/pkg/sessionctx/vardef/tidb_vars.go
+++ b/pkg/sessionctx/vardef/tidb_vars.go
@@ -1831,7 +1831,7 @@ const (
 	DefTiDBEnableBindingUsage                         = true
 	DefTiDBAdvancerCheckPointLagLimit                 = 48 * time.Hour
 	DefTiDBMemArbitratorSoftLimitText                 = memory.ArbitratorSoftLimitModDisableName
-	DefTiDBMemArbitratorModeText                      = memory.ArbitratorModeDisableName
+	DefTiDBMemArbitratorModeText                      = memory.ArbitratorModePriorityName
 	DefTiDBMemArbitratorQueryReservedText             = "0"
 	DefTiDBMemArbitratorWaitAverse                    = "0"
 	DefTiDBIndexLookUpPushDownPolicy                  = IndexLookUpPushDownPolicyHintOnly