diff --git a/docs/cmd/kn_revision_delete.md b/docs/cmd/kn_revision_delete.md
index 5d6f4e2c4..1337acb4c 100644
--- a/docs/cmd/kn_revision_delete.md
+++ b/docs/cmd/kn_revision_delete.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ kn revision delete NAME [flags]
       --async              DEPRECATED: please use --no-wait instead. Delete revision and don't wait for it to be deleted.
   -h, --help               help for delete
   -n, --namespace string   Specify the namespace to operate in.
-      --no-wait            Delete revision and don't wait for it to be deleted.
+      --no-wait            Delete revision and don't wait for it to be deleted. (default true)
       --wait-timeout int   Seconds to wait before giving up on waiting for revision to be deleted. (default 600)
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/cmd/kn_service_delete.md b/docs/cmd/kn_service_delete.md
index 971fd9314..6a2aa9f72 100644
--- a/docs/cmd/kn_service_delete.md
+++ b/docs/cmd/kn_service_delete.md
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ kn service delete NAME [flags]
       --async              DEPRECATED: please use --no-wait instead. Delete service and don't wait for it to be deleted.
   -h, --help               help for delete
   -n, --namespace string   Specify the namespace to operate in.
-      --no-wait            Delete service and don't wait for it to be deleted.
+      --no-wait            Delete service and don't wait for it to be deleted. (default true)
       --wait-timeout int   Seconds to wait before giving up on waiting for service to be deleted. (default 600)
 ```
 
diff --git a/pkg/kn/commands/wait_flags.go b/pkg/kn/commands/wait_flags.go
index ca7836856..d92ee6f13 100644
--- a/pkg/kn/commands/wait_flags.go
+++ b/pkg/kn/commands/wait_flags.go
@@ -42,8 +42,15 @@ type WaitFlags struct {
 func (p *WaitFlags) AddConditionWaitFlags(command *cobra.Command, waitTimeoutDefault int, action, what, until string) {
 	waitUsage := fmt.Sprintf("%s %s and don't wait for it to be %s.", action, what, until)
 	//TODO: deprecated flag should be removed in next release
+
+	// Special-case 'delete' command so it comes back to the user immediately
+	noWaitDefault := false
+	if action == "Delete" {
+		noWaitDefault = true
+	}
+
 	command.Flags().BoolVar(&p.Async, "async", false, "DEPRECATED: please use --no-wait instead. "+waitUsage)
-	command.Flags().BoolVar(&p.NoWait, "no-wait", false, waitUsage)
+	command.Flags().BoolVar(&p.NoWait, "no-wait", noWaitDefault, waitUsage)
 
 	timeoutUsage := fmt.Sprintf("Seconds to wait before giving up on waiting for %s to be %s.", what, until)
 	command.Flags().IntVar(&p.TimeoutInSeconds, "wait-timeout", waitTimeoutDefault, timeoutUsage)
diff --git a/pkg/kn/commands/wait_flags_test.go b/pkg/kn/commands/wait_flags_test.go
index 9c711d2c7..ce6ad0004 100644
--- a/pkg/kn/commands/wait_flags_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kn/commands/wait_flags_test.go
@@ -115,3 +115,12 @@ func TestAddWaitUsageMessage(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("wrong until message")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAddWaitUsageDelete(t *testing.T) {
+	flags := &WaitFlags{}
+	cmd := cobra.Command{}
+	flags.AddConditionWaitFlags(&cmd, 60, "Delete", "blub", "deleted")
+	if !strings.Contains(cmd.UsageString(), "deleted. (default true)") {
+		t.Error("Delete has wrong default value for --no-wait")
+	}
+}