diff --git a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/attributes/default.rb b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/attributes/default.rb
index ab1f63f..6c36a65 100644
--- a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/attributes/default.rb
+++ b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/attributes/default.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ default['gitlab']['gitlab-rails']['gitlab_username_changing_enabled'] = nil
 default['gitlab']['gitlab-rails']['gitlab_default_theme'] = nil
 default['gitlab']['gitlab-rails']['gitlab_signup_enabled'] = nil
 default['gitlab']['gitlab-rails']['gitlab_signin_enabled'] = nil
-default['gitlab']['gitlab-rails']['gitlab_restricted_visibility_levels'] = []
+default['gitlab']['gitlab-rails']['gitlab_restricted_visibility_levels'] = nil
 default['gitlab']['gitlab-rails']['gitlab_default_projects_features_issues'] = true
 default['gitlab']['gitlab-rails']['gitlab_default_projects_features_merge_requests'] = true
 default['gitlab']['gitlab-rails']['gitlab_default_projects_features_wiki'] = true
diff --git a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/templates/default/gitlab.yml.erb b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/templates/default/gitlab.yml.erb
index eec05d5..83461a3 100644
--- a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/templates/default/gitlab.yml.erb
+++ b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/templates/default/gitlab.yml.erb
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ production: &base
 
     # Restrict setting visibility levels for non-admin users.
     # The default is to allow all levels.
-    restricted_visibility_levels: <%= @gitlab_restricted_visibility_levels %>
+    restricted_visibility_levels: <%= @gitlab_restricted_visibility_levels unless @gitlab_restricted_visibility_levels.nil? %>
 
     ## Automatic issue closing
     # If a commit message matches this regular expression, all issues referenced from the matched text will be closed.
--
libgit2 0.21.2