diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1315bdc..2326344 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,16 +1,18 @@
 ## 2.9.0-dev
 
+* **Potentially Breaking** The default `propagateCancel` argument to
+  `CancelableOperation.then` changed from `false` to `true`. In most usages this
+  won't have a meaningful difference in behavior, but in usages where the
+  behavior is important propagation is the more common need. If there are any
+  `CancelableOperation` with multiple listeners where canceling subsequent
+  computation using `.then` shouldn't also cancel the original operation, pass
+  `propagateCancel: false`.
 * Add `StreamExtensions.firstOrNull`.
-
 * Add a `CancelableOperation.fromSubscription()` static factory.
-
 * Add a `CancelableOperation.race()` static method.
-
 * Update `StreamGroup` methods that return a `Future<dynamic>` today to return
   a `Future<void>` instead.
-
 * Deprecated `AsyncCache.fetchStream`.
-
 * Make `AsyncCache.ephemeral` invalidate itself immediately when the returned
   future completes, rather than wait for a later timer event.
 
diff --git a/lib/src/cancelable_operation.dart b/lib/src/cancelable_operation.dart
index 9e3a735..6ee350e 100644
--- a/lib/src/cancelable_operation.dart
+++ b/lib/src/cancelable_operation.dart
@@ -130,26 +130,33 @@
     return completer.future;
   }
 
-  /// Creates a new cancelable operation to be completed
-  /// when this operation completes or is cancelled.
+  /// Creates a new cancelable operation to be completed when this operation
+  /// completes normally or as an error, or is cancelled.
   ///
-  /// The [onValue] and [onError] callbacks behave in the same way as
-  /// for [Future.then], and the result of those callbacks is used to complete
-  /// the returned cancelable operation.
+  /// If this operation completes normally the [value] is passed to [onValue]
+  /// and the returned operation is completed with the result.
   ///
-  /// If [onCancel] is provided, and the this operation is canceled,
-  /// the [onCancel] callback is called and the returned operation completes
-  /// with the result returned by that call.
+  /// If this operation completes as an error, and no [onError] callback is
+  /// provided, the returned operation is completed with the same error and
+  /// stack trace.
+  /// If this operation completes as an error, and an [onError] callback is
+  /// provided, the returned operation is completed with the result.
   ///
-  /// If [onCancel] is not provided, and this operation is canceled, then the
-  /// returned operation is also canceled.
+  /// If this operation is canceled, and no [onCancel] callback is provided,
+  /// the returned operation is canceled.
+  /// If this operation is canceled, and an [onCancel] callback is provided,
+  /// the returned operation is completed with the result.
   ///
-  /// If [propagateCancel] is `true` and the returned operation is canceled
-  /// then this operation is canceled. The default is `false`.
+  /// If the returned operation is canceled before this operation completes or
+  /// is canceled, the [onValue], [onError], and [onCancel] callbacks will not
+  /// be invoked. If [propagateCancel] is `true` (the default) then this
+  /// operation is canceled as well. Pass `false` if there are multiple
+  /// listeners on this operation and canceling the [onValue], [onError], and
+  /// [onCancel] callbacks should not cancel the other listeners.
   CancelableOperation<R> then<R>(FutureOr<R> Function(T) onValue,
       {FutureOr<R> Function(Object, StackTrace)? onError,
       FutureOr<R> Function()? onCancel,
-      bool propagateCancel = false}) {
+      bool propagateCancel = true}) {
     final completer =
         CancelableCompleter<R>(onCancel: propagateCancel ? cancel : null);