diff --git a/rust/codeql-extractor.yml b/rust/codeql-extractor.yml
index ce876e8d3fff..c7785e5f8c72 100644
--- a/rust/codeql-extractor.yml
+++ b/rust/codeql-extractor.yml
@@ -45,9 +45,10 @@ options:
   cargo_features:
     title: Cargo features to turn on
     description: >
-      Comma-separated list of features to turn on. If any value is `*` all features
-      are turned on. By default only default cargo features are enabled. Can be
-      repeated.
+      Comma-separated list of features to turn on. By default all features are enabled.
+      If any features are specified, then only those features are enabled. The `default`
+      feature must be explicitly specified if only default features are desired.
+      Can be repeated.
     type: array
   cargo_cfg_overrides:
     title: Cargo cfg overrides
diff --git a/rust/extractor/src/config.rs b/rust/extractor/src/config.rs
index 8124f825da3c..a2a74420b5d8 100644
--- a/rust/extractor/src/config.rs
+++ b/rust/extractor/src/config.rs
@@ -129,6 +129,23 @@ impl Config {
         }
     }
 
+    fn cargo_features(&self) -> CargoFeatures {
+        // '*' is to be considered deprecated but still kept in for backward compatibility
+        if self.cargo_features.is_empty() || self.cargo_features.iter().any(|f| f == "*") {
+            CargoFeatures::All
+        } else {
+            CargoFeatures::Selected {
+                features: self
+                    .cargo_features
+                    .iter()
+                    .filter(|f| *f != "default")
+                    .cloned()
+                    .collect(),
+                no_default_features: !self.cargo_features.iter().any(|f| f == "default"),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn to_cargo_config(&self, dir: &AbsPath) -> (CargoConfig, LoadCargoConfig) {
         let sysroot = self.sysroot(dir);
         (
@@ -159,16 +176,7 @@ impl Config {
                         .unwrap_or_else(|| self.scratch_dir.join("target")),
                 )
                 .ok(),
-                features: if self.cargo_features.is_empty() {
-                    Default::default()
-                } else if self.cargo_features.contains(&"*".to_string()) {
-                    CargoFeatures::All
-                } else {
-                    CargoFeatures::Selected {
-                        features: self.cargo_features.clone(),
-                        no_default_features: false,
-                    }
-                },
+                features: self.cargo_features(),
                 target: self.cargo_target.clone(),
                 cfg_overrides: to_cfg_overrides(&self.cargo_cfg_overrides),
                 wrap_rustc_in_build_scripts: false,
diff --git a/rust/ql/integration-tests/options/features/functions.expected b/rust/ql/integration-tests/options/features/functions.none.expected
similarity index 100%
rename from rust/ql/integration-tests/options/features/functions.expected
rename to rust/ql/integration-tests/options/features/functions.none.expected
diff --git a/rust/ql/integration-tests/options/features/test_features_option.py b/rust/ql/integration-tests/options/features/test_features_option.py
index 75c5058be078..bb1b57c8de53 100644
--- a/rust/ql/integration-tests/options/features/test_features_option.py
+++ b/rust/ql/integration-tests/options/features/test_features_option.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import pytest
 
+@pytest.mark.ql_test(expected=".all.expected")
 def test_default(codeql, rust):
     codeql.database.create()
 
@@ -8,10 +9,33 @@ def test_default(codeql, rust):
                              pytest.param(p,
                                           marks=pytest.mark.ql_test(expected=f".{e}.expected"))
                              for p, e in (
+                                 ("default", "none"),
                                  ("foo", "foo"),
                                  ("bar", "bar"),
                                  ("*", "all"),
-                                 ("foo,bar", "all"))
+                                 ("foo,bar", "all"),
+                                 ("default,foo", "foo"),
+                                 ("default,bar", "bar"),
+                             )
                          ])
 def test_features(codeql, rust, features):
     codeql.database.create(extractor_option=f"cargo_features={features}")
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("features",
+                         [
+                             pytest.param(p,
+                                          marks=pytest.mark.ql_test(expected=f".{e}.expected"))
+                             for p, e in (
+                                 ("default", "foo"),
+                                 ("foo", "foo"),
+                                 ("bar", "bar"),
+                                 ("*", "all"),
+                                 ("foo,bar", "all"),
+                                 ("default,foo", "foo"),
+                                 ("default,bar", "all"),
+                             )
+                         ])
+def test_features_with_default(codeql, rust, features):
+    with open("Cargo.toml", "a") as f:
+        print('default = ["foo"]', file=f)
+    codeql.database.create(extractor_option=f"cargo_features={features}")