diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 959e6672..cb6e0848 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## Unreleased
+
+### Added
+
+- New man page for `defaults.conf` #593
+
 ## [4.4.0rc2] 2022-12-09
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/docs/man/man5/defaults.conf.5 b/docs/man/man5/defaults.conf.5
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3488dc5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/man/man5/defaults.conf.5
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+.TH "NODES.CONF" "5"
+
+.SH NAME
+
+defaults.conf \- default configuration for Warewulf nodes
+
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+.LP
+
+\fBdefaults.conf\fP defaults default values for node attributes when
+the attributes are not defined via a node's definition or in any of
+its profiles. It is a flat text YAML configuration file with a single
+\fBdefaultnode\fP node. After the definition of this node follows the
+structure of a node within \fBnodes.pp\fP.
+
+.SH EXAMPLE
+
+.EX
+defaultnode:
+  runtime overlay:
+  - generic
+  system overlay:
+  - wwinit
+  kernel:
+    args: quiet crashkernel=no vga=791 net.naming-scheme=v238
+  init: /sbin/init
+  root: initramfs
+  ipxe template: default
+  profiles:
+  - default
+  network devices:
+    dummy:
+      device: eth0
+      type: ethernet
+      netmask: 255.255.255.0
+.EE
+
+.SH SEE ALSO
+
+\fBwwctl(1)\fP, \fBwwctl-nodes(1)\fP, \fBwwctl-profile(1)\fP