diff --git a/api/jobs.go b/api/jobs.go
index 64b25c710..d05b87891 100644
--- a/api/jobs.go
+++ b/api/jobs.go
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ const (
 	// on all clients.
 	JobTypeSysbatch = "sysbatch"
 
+	// JobDefaultPriority is the default priority if not specified.
+	JobDefaultPriority = 50
+
 	// PeriodicSpecCron is used for a cron spec.
 	PeriodicSpecCron = "cron"
 
@@ -1003,7 +1006,7 @@ func (j *Job) Canonicalize() {
 		j.Namespace = pointerOf(DefaultNamespace)
 	}
 	if j.Priority == nil {
-		j.Priority = pointerOf(0)
+		j.Priority = pointerOf(JobDefaultPriority)
 	}
 	if j.Stop == nil {
 		j.Stop = pointerOf(false)
diff --git a/api/jobs_test.go b/api/jobs_test.go
index 60d158542..dc642bab3 100644
--- a/api/jobs_test.go
+++ b/api/jobs_test.go
@@ -9,9 +9,10 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/api/internal/testutil"
 	"github.com/shoenig/test/must"
 	"github.com/shoenig/test/wait"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/api/internal/testutil"
 )
 
 func TestJobs_Register(t *testing.T) {
@@ -282,7 +283,7 @@ func TestJobs_Canonicalize(t *testing.T) {
 				Namespace:         pointerOf(DefaultNamespace),
 				Type:              pointerOf("service"),
 				ParentID:          pointerOf(""),
-				Priority:          pointerOf(0),
+				Priority:          pointerOf(JobDefaultPriority),
 				AllAtOnce:         pointerOf(false),
 				ConsulToken:       pointerOf(""),
 				ConsulNamespace:   pointerOf(""),
@@ -377,7 +378,7 @@ func TestJobs_Canonicalize(t *testing.T) {
 				Namespace:         pointerOf(DefaultNamespace),
 				Type:              pointerOf("batch"),
 				ParentID:          pointerOf(""),
-				Priority:          pointerOf(0),
+				Priority:          pointerOf(JobDefaultPriority),
 				AllAtOnce:         pointerOf(false),
 				ConsulToken:       pointerOf(""),
 				ConsulNamespace:   pointerOf(""),
@@ -455,7 +456,7 @@ func TestJobs_Canonicalize(t *testing.T) {
 				Region:            pointerOf("global"),
 				Type:              pointerOf("service"),
 				ParentID:          pointerOf("lol"),
-				Priority:          pointerOf(0),
+				Priority:          pointerOf(JobDefaultPriority),
 				AllAtOnce:         pointerOf(false),
 				ConsulToken:       pointerOf(""),
 				ConsulNamespace:   pointerOf(""),
@@ -624,7 +625,7 @@ func TestJobs_Canonicalize(t *testing.T) {
 				ID:                pointerOf("example_template"),
 				Name:              pointerOf("example_template"),
 				ParentID:          pointerOf(""),
-				Priority:          pointerOf(0),
+				Priority:          pointerOf(JobDefaultPriority),
 				Region:            pointerOf("global"),
 				Type:              pointerOf("service"),
 				AllAtOnce:         pointerOf(false),
@@ -794,7 +795,7 @@ func TestJobs_Canonicalize(t *testing.T) {
 				Name:              pointerOf("bar"),
 				Region:            pointerOf("global"),
 				Type:              pointerOf("service"),
-				Priority:          pointerOf(0),
+				Priority:          pointerOf(JobDefaultPriority),
 				AllAtOnce:         pointerOf(false),
 				ConsulToken:       pointerOf(""),
 				ConsulNamespace:   pointerOf(""),
@@ -885,7 +886,7 @@ func TestJobs_Canonicalize(t *testing.T) {
 				Region:            pointerOf("global"),
 				Type:              pointerOf("service"),
 				ParentID:          pointerOf("lol"),
-				Priority:          pointerOf(0),
+				Priority:          pointerOf(JobDefaultPriority),
 				AllAtOnce:         pointerOf(false),
 				ConsulToken:       pointerOf(""),
 				ConsulNamespace:   pointerOf(""),
@@ -1061,7 +1062,7 @@ func TestJobs_Canonicalize(t *testing.T) {
 				Region:            pointerOf("global"),
 				Type:              pointerOf("service"),
 				ParentID:          pointerOf("lol"),
-				Priority:          pointerOf(0),
+				Priority:          pointerOf(JobDefaultPriority),
 				AllAtOnce:         pointerOf(false),
 				ConsulToken:       pointerOf(""),
 				ConsulNamespace:   pointerOf(""),
@@ -1232,7 +1233,7 @@ func TestJobs_Canonicalize(t *testing.T) {
 				Region:            pointerOf("global"),
 				Type:              pointerOf("service"),
 				ParentID:          pointerOf("lol"),
-				Priority:          pointerOf(0),
+				Priority:          pointerOf(JobDefaultPriority),
 				AllAtOnce:         pointerOf(false),
 				ConsulToken:       pointerOf(""),
 				ConsulNamespace:   pointerOf(""),