diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/File/Validator/Image.php b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/File/Validator/Image.php
index 3cffb63c96a..215718c265b 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/File/Validator/Image.php
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/File/Validator/Image.php
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ public function setAllowedImageTypes(array $imageFileExtensions = [])
 
     /**
      * Validation callback for checking if file is image
+     * Destroy malicious code in image by reprocessing
      *
      * @param  string $filePath Path to temporary uploaded file
      * @return null
@@ -85,11 +86,15 @@ public function validate($filePath)
         list($imageWidth, $imageHeight, $fileType) = getimagesize($filePath);
         if ($fileType) {
             if ($this->isImageType($fileType)) {
-                /** Check deprecated 'general/reprocess_images/active' for BC. If false then skip image reprocessing. */
-                if (Mage::getStoreConfig('general/reprocess_images/active') !== null) {
-                    $imageQuality = Mage::getStoreConfigFlag('general/reprocess_images/active') ? 100 : 0;
+                // Config 'general/reprocess_images/active' is deprecated, replacement is the following:
+                $imageQuality = Mage::getStoreConfig('admin/security/reprocess_image_quality');
+                if ($imageQuality !== null) {
+                    $imageQuality = (int) $imageQuality;
                 } else {
-                    $imageQuality = (int) Mage::getStoreConfig('admin/security/reprocess_image_quality');
+                    // Value not set in backend. For BC, if depcrecated config does not exist, default to 85.
+                    $imageQuality = Mage::getStoreConfig('general/reprocess_images/active') === null
+                        ? 85
+                        : (Mage::getStoreConfigFlag('general/reprocess_images/active') ? 85 : 0);
                 }
                 if ($imageQuality === 0) {
                     return null;
diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/config.xml b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/config.xml
index 643f0e89a01..a0528aed8db 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/config.xml
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/config.xml
@@ -440,7 +440,6 @@
                 <extensions_compatibility_mode>1</extensions_compatibility_mode>
                 <session_cookie_lifetime>10800</session_cookie_lifetime>
                 <secure_system_configuration_save_disabled>0</secure_system_configuration_save_disabled>
-                <reprocess_image_quality>85</reprocess_image_quality>
             </security>
         </admin>
         <general>
diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/system.xml b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/system.xml
index 53411e945bc..eeb81099816 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/system.xml
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/system.xml
@@ -1282,8 +1282,8 @@
                         </crate_admin_user_notification>
                         <reprocess_image_quality translate="label comment">
                             <label>Image Reprocess Quality</label>
-                            <comment>Optimum value is 85, higher value will increase file size. Set to 0 to turn off images reprocessing, which may cause security risks.</comment>
-                            <validate>required-entry validate-digits validate-digits-range digits-range-0-100</validate>
+                            <comment>Optimum value is 85 (default), higher value will increase file size. Set to 0 to turn off images reprocessing, which may cause security risks.</comment>
+                            <validate>validate-digits validate-digits-range digits-range-0-100</validate>
                             <sort_order>180</sort_order>
                             <show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
                             <show_in_website>1</show_in_website>
diff --git a/app/locale/en_US/Mage_Core.csv b/app/locale/en_US/Mage_Core.csv
index 924034de292..155c0df85d9 100644
--- a/app/locale/en_US/Mage_Core.csv
+++ b/app/locale/en_US/Mage_Core.csv
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
 "New Website","New Website"
 "No","No"
 "Offloader header","Offloader header"
-"Optimum value is 85, higher value will increase file size. Set to 0 to turn off images reprocessing, which may cause security risks.","Optimum value is 85, higher value will increase file size. Set to 0 to turn off images reprocessing, which may cause security risks."
+"Optimum value is 85 (default), higher value will increase file size. Set to 0 to turn off images reprocessing, which may cause security risks.","Optimum value is 85 (default), higher value will increase file size. Set to 0 to turn off images reprocessing, which may cause security risks."
 "PHP SOAP extension is required.","PHP SOAP extension is required."
 "Package","Package"
 "Pagination","Pagination"