diff --git a/lib/active_model/serializer/associations.rb b/lib/active_model/serializer/associations.rb
index 6290eb9d..863edc54 100644
--- a/lib/active_model/serializer/associations.rb
+++ b/lib/active_model/serializer/associations.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module ActiveModel
         @name          = name.to_s
         @options       = options
 
-        self.embed     = options[:embed] || SETTINGS[:embed]
+        self.embed     = options[:embed] || SETTINGS[:embed] || :objects
         @embed_in_root = @embed_ids && (options[:include] || SETTINGS[:include])
         @embed_key     = options[:embed_key] || :id
         @key           = options[:key]