diff --git a/commitizen/commands/bump.py b/commitizen/commands/bump.py
index 6084c8c15..101063c01 100644
--- a/commitizen/commands/bump.py
+++ b/commitizen/commands/bump.py
@@ -310,11 +310,17 @@ def __call__(self) -> None:
         changelog_file_name = None
         dry_run = self.arguments["dry_run"]
         if self.changelog_flag:
+            # DEFAULT_SETTINGS provides changelog_incremental=None, so .get("changelog_incremental", True)
+            # would never fall through to the True default. None means "not configured" vs False meaning
+            # "explicitly disabled". During bump, we default to True (incremental) when not configured.
+            incremental_setting = self.config.settings.get("changelog_incremental")
             changelog_args = {
                 "unreleased_version": new_tag_version,
                 "template": self.template,
                 "extras": self.extras,
-                "incremental": True,
+                "incremental": incremental_setting
+                if incremental_setting is not None
+                else True,
                 "dry_run": dry_run,
                 # governs logic for merge_prerelease
                 "during_version_bump": self.arguments["prerelease"] is None,
diff --git a/commitizen/defaults.py b/commitizen/defaults.py
index 4865ccc18..7fe329006 100644
--- a/commitizen/defaults.py
+++ b/commitizen/defaults.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class Settings(TypedDict, total=False):
     change_type_map: dict[str, str]
     changelog_file: str
     changelog_format: str | None
-    changelog_incremental: bool
+    changelog_incremental: bool | None
     changelog_merge_prerelease: bool
     changelog_start_rev: str | None
     customize: CzSettings
@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ class Settings(TypedDict, total=False):
     ],
     "changelog_file": "CHANGELOG.md",
     "changelog_format": None,  # default guessed from changelog_file
-    "changelog_incremental": False,
+    # None serves as a sentinel for "not configured by user" (distinct from False = explicitly disabled).
+    # During `cz bump`, when unset (None), defaults to True (incremental changelog).
+    # TODO: consider introducing sentinel value for "not configured by user" instead of overloading None,
+    # to avoid confusion with False.
+    "changelog_incremental": None,
     "changelog_start_rev": None,
     "changelog_merge_prerelease": False,
     "update_changelog_on_bump": False,
diff --git a/tests/commands/test_bump_command.py b/tests/commands/test_bump_command.py
index 6b8d903d6..3d3be7d98 100644
--- a/tests/commands/test_bump_command.py
+++ b/tests/commands/test_bump_command.py
@@ -1502,3 +1502,89 @@ def test_bump_deprecate_files_only(util: UtilFixture):
         pytest.raises(ExpectedExit),
     ):
         util.run_cli("bump", "--yes", "--files-only")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("tmp_commitizen_project")
+def test_bump_changelog_incremental_default_not_set(
+    util: UtilFixture, changelog_path: Path, config_path: Path
+):
+    with config_path.open("a", encoding="utf-8") as fp:
+        fp.write("update_changelog_on_bump = true\n")
+
+    util.create_file_and_commit("feat(user): new user")
+    util.run_cli("bump", "--yes")
+    assert git.tag_exist("0.2.0") is True
+
+    with changelog_path.open(encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        content = f.read()
+    with changelog_path.open("w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        f.write(content.replace("- **user**: new user", "- **user**: new user\n\nMANUAL NOTE"))
+    util.create_file_and_commit("docs: add manual note to changelog")
+
+    util.create_file_and_commit("feat(admin): new admin")
+    util.run_cli("bump", "--yes")
+    assert git.tag_exist("0.3.0") is True
+
+    with changelog_path.open(encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        out = f.read()
+    assert "0.3.0" in out
+    assert "0.2.0" in out
+    assert "MANUAL NOTE" in out
+
+
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("tmp_commitizen_project")
+def test_bump_changelog_incremental_set_true(
+    util: UtilFixture, changelog_path: Path, config_path: Path
+):
+    with config_path.open("a", encoding="utf-8") as fp:
+        fp.write("update_changelog_on_bump = true\n")
+        fp.write("changelog_incremental = true\n")
+
+    util.create_file_and_commit("feat(user): new user")
+    util.run_cli("bump", "--yes")
+    assert git.tag_exist("0.2.0") is True
+
+    with changelog_path.open(encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        content = f.read()
+    with changelog_path.open("w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        f.write(content.replace("- **user**: new user", "- **user**: new user\n\nMANUAL NOTE"))
+    util.create_file_and_commit("docs: add manual note to changelog")
+
+    util.create_file_and_commit("feat(admin): new admin")
+    util.run_cli("bump", "--yes")
+    assert git.tag_exist("0.3.0") is True
+
+    with changelog_path.open(encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        out = f.read()
+    assert "0.3.0" in out
+    assert "0.2.0" in out
+    assert "MANUAL NOTE" in out
+
+
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("tmp_commitizen_project")
+def test_bump_changelog_incremental_set_false(
+    util: UtilFixture, changelog_path: Path, config_path: Path
+):
+    with config_path.open("a", encoding="utf-8") as fp:
+        fp.write("update_changelog_on_bump = true\n")
+        fp.write("changelog_incremental = false\n")
+
+    util.create_file_and_commit("feat(user): new user")
+    util.run_cli("bump", "--yes")
+    assert git.tag_exist("0.2.0") is True
+
+    with changelog_path.open(encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        content = f.read()
+    with changelog_path.open("w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        f.write(content.replace("- **user**: new user", "- **user**: new user\n\nMANUAL NOTE"))
+    util.create_file_and_commit("docs: add manual note to changelog")
+
+    util.create_file_and_commit("feat(admin): new admin")
+    util.run_cli("bump", "--yes")
+    assert git.tag_exist("0.3.0") is True
+
+    with changelog_path.open(encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        out = f.read()
+    assert "0.3.0" in out
+    assert "0.2.0" in out
+    assert "MANUAL NOTE" not in out
diff --git a/tests/test_conf.py b/tests/test_conf.py
index 923535e0c..fc7f5d4c6 100644
--- a/tests/test_conf.py
+++ b/tests/test_conf.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
     "style": [["pointer", "reverse"], ["question", "underline"]],
     "changelog_file": "CHANGELOG.md",
     "changelog_format": None,
-    "changelog_incremental": False,
+    "changelog_incremental": None,
     "changelog_start_rev": None,
     "changelog_merge_prerelease": False,
     "update_changelog_on_bump": False,
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
     "style": [["pointer", "reverse"], ["question", "underline"]],
     "changelog_file": "CHANGELOG.md",
     "changelog_format": None,
-    "changelog_incremental": False,
+    "changelog_incremental": None,
     "changelog_start_rev": None,
     "changelog_merge_prerelease": False,
     "update_changelog_on_bump": False,