diff --git a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.h b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.h
index 077c312..7f23a3c 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.h
+++ b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 @property (readonly, nonatomic, strong) NSHTTPURLResponse *response;
 
 /**
- Responses sent from the server in data tasks created with `dataTaskWithRequest:success:failure:` and run using the `GET` / `POST` / et al. convenience methods are automatically validated and serialized by the response serializer. By default, this property is set to a compound serializer, which serializes data from responses with either a `application/json` or `application/x-plist` MIME type, and falls back to the raw data object. The serializer validates the status code to be in the `2XX` range, denoting success. If the response serializer generates an error in `-responseObjectForResponse:data:error:`, the `failure` callback of the session task or request operation will be executed; otherwise, the `success` callback will be executed.
+ Responses sent from the server in data tasks created with `dataTaskWithRequest:success:failure:` and run using the `GET` / `POST` / et al. convenience methods are automatically validated and serialized by the response serializer. By default, this property is set to a JSON serializer, which serializes data from responses with a `application/json` MIME type, and falls back to the raw data object. The serializer validates the status code to be in the `2XX` range, denoting success. If the response serializer generates an error in `-responseObjectForResponse:data:error:`, the `failure` callback of the session task or request operation will be executed; otherwise, the `success` callback will be executed.
 
  @warning `responseSerializer` must not be `nil`.
  */
diff --git a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.m b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.m
index 7765f2a..4e75e94 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.m
+++ b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.m
@@ -52,6 +52,17 @@ static dispatch_group_t http_request_operation_completion_group() {
 
 @implementation AFHTTPRequestOperation
 
+- (instancetype)initWithRequest:(NSURLRequest *)urlRequest {
+    self = [super initWithRequest:urlRequest];
+    if (!self) {
+        return nil;
+    }
+
+    self.responseSerializer = [AFJSONResponseSerializer serializer];
+
+    return self;
+}
+
 - (void)setResponseSerializer:(AFHTTPResponseSerializer <AFURLResponseSerialization> *)responseSerializer {
     NSParameterAssert(responseSerializer);
 
diff --git a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperationManager.h b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperationManager.h
index 2a9fabc..1288a25 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperationManager.h
+++ b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperationManager.h
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
 @property (nonatomic, strong) AFHTTPRequestSerializer <AFURLRequestSerialization> * requestSerializer;
 
 /**
- Responses sent from the server in data tasks created with `dataTaskWithRequest:success:failure:` and run using the `GET` / `POST` / et al. convenience methods are automatically validated and serialized by the response serializer. By default, this property is set to a compound serializer, which serializes data from responses with either a `application/json` or `application/x-plist` MIME type, and falls back to the raw data object. The serializer validates the status code to be in the `2XX` range, denoting success. If the response serializer generates an error in `-responseObjectForResponse:data:error:`, the `failure` callback of the session task or request operation will be executed; otherwise, the `success` callback will be executed.
+ Responses sent from the server in data tasks created with `dataTaskWithRequest:success:failure:` and run using the `GET` / `POST` / et al. convenience methods are automatically validated and serialized by the response serializer. By default, this property is set to a JSON serializer, which serializes data from responses with a `application/json` MIME type, and falls back to the raw data object. The serializer validates the status code to be in the `2XX` range, denoting success. If the response serializer generates an error in `-responseObjectForResponse:data:error:`, the `failure` callback of the session task or request operation will be executed; otherwise, the `success` callback will be executed.
 
  @warning `responseSerializer` must not be `nil`.
  */