diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/options/pipeline_options.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/options/pipeline_options.py
index 170ade224c10..38b36c3a2c45 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/options/pipeline_options.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/options/pipeline_options.py
@@ -1682,15 +1682,16 @@ def _add_argparse_args(cls, parser):
             'defined in __main__ (e.g. interactive session) can be unpickled. '
             'Some workflows do not need the session state if for instance all '
             'their functions/classes are defined in proper modules '
-            '(not __main__) and the modules are importable in the worker. '))
+            '(not __main__) and the modules are importable in the worker. '
+            'It is disabled by default except for cloudpickle as pickle '
+            'library on Dataflow runner.'))
     parser.add_argument(
         '--no_save_main_session',
         default=None,
         action='store_false',
         dest='save_main_session',
         help=(
-            'Disable saving the main session state. It is enabled/disabled by'
-            'default for cloudpickle/dill pickler. See "save_main_session".'))
+            'Disable saving the main session state. See "save_main_session".'))
 
     parser.add_argument(
         '--sdk_location',
@@ -1795,13 +1796,19 @@ def _add_argparse_args(cls, parser):
   def _handle_load_main_session(self, validator):
     save_main_session = getattr(self, 'save_main_session')
     if save_main_session is None:
-      # save_main_session default to False for dill, while default to true
-      # for cloudpickle
-      pickle_library = getattr(self, 'pickle_library')
-      if pickle_library in ['default', 'cloudpickle']:
-        setattr(self, 'save_main_session', True)
-      else:
+      if not validator.is_service_runner():
         setattr(self, 'save_main_session', False)
+      else:
+        # save_main_session default to False for dill, while default to true
+        # for cloudpickle on service runner
+        pickle_library = getattr(self, 'pickle_library')
+        if pickle_library == 'default':
+          from apache_beam.internal.pickler import DEFAULT_PICKLE_LIB
+          pickle_library = DEFAULT_PICKLE_LIB
+        if pickle_library == 'cloudpickle':
+          setattr(self, 'save_main_session', True)
+        else:
+          setattr(self, 'save_main_session', False)
     return []
 
   def validate(self, validator):