diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2405.section.md b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2405.section.md
index 91540e9a0ea5..e9e09c81ce92 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2405.section.md
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2405.section.md
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ In addition to numerous new and upgraded packages, this release has the followin
 
 - `linuxPackages_testing_bcachefs` is now fully deprecated by `linuxPackages_latest`, and is therefore no longer available.
 
+- The default kernel package has been updated from 6.1 to 6.6. All supported kernels remain available.
+
 - NixOS now installs a stub ELF loader that prints an informative error message when users attempt to run binaries not made for NixOS.
    - This can be disabled through the `environment.stub-ld.enable` option.
    - If you use `programs.nix-ld.enable`, no changes are needed. The stub will be disabled automatically.
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/linux-kernels.nix b/pkgs/top-level/linux-kernels.nix
index 31cce49051a9..47838b60569f 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/linux-kernels.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/linux-kernels.nix
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ in {
   });
 
   packageAliases = {
-    linux_default = packages.linux_6_1;
+    linux_default = packages.linux_6_6;
     # Update this when adding the newest kernel major version!
     linux_latest = packages.linux_6_7;
     linux_mptcp = throw "'linux_mptcp' has been moved to https://github.com/teto/mptcp-flake";