diff --git a/cmd/argocd/commands/app.go b/cmd/argocd/commands/app.go
index 289182a955..7ff6e3f2e1 100644
--- a/cmd/argocd/commands/app.go
+++ b/cmd/argocd/commands/app.go
@@ -780,10 +780,10 @@ func NewApplicationSyncCommand(clientOpts *argocdclient.ClientOptions) *cobra.Co
 				Prune:    prune,
 			}
 			switch strategy {
-			case "", "apply":
+			case "apply":
 				syncReq.Strategy = &argoappv1.SyncStrategy{Apply: &argoappv1.SyncStrategyApply{}}
 				syncReq.Strategy.Apply.Force = force
-			case "hook":
+			case "", "hook":
 				syncReq.Strategy = &argoappv1.SyncStrategy{Hook: &argoappv1.SyncStrategyHook{}}
 				syncReq.Strategy.Hook.Force = force
 			default:
diff --git a/controller/sync.go b/controller/sync.go
index f055db3fd7..1dcdc0f864 100644
--- a/controller/sync.go
+++ b/controller/sync.go
@@ -184,13 +184,13 @@ func (sc *syncContext) sync() {
 	}
 
 	// All objects passed a `kubectl apply --dry-run`, so we are now ready to actually perform the sync.
+	if sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy == nil {
+		// default sync strategy to hook if no strategy
+		sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy = &appv1.SyncStrategy{Hook: &appv1.SyncStrategyHook{}}
+	}
 	if sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy.Apply != nil {
-		forceApply := false
-		if sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy != nil && sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy.Apply != nil {
-			forceApply = sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy.Apply.Force
-		}
-		sc.doApplySync(syncTasks, false, forceApply)
-	} else if sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy.Hook != nil || sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy == nil {
+		sc.doApplySync(syncTasks, false, sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy.Apply.Force)
+	} else if sc.syncOp.SyncStrategy.Hook != nil {
 		hooks, err := sc.getHooks()
 		if err != nil {
 			sc.setOperationPhase(appv1.OperationError, fmt.Sprintf("failed to generate hooks resources: %v", err))