diff --git a/src/traces/scatter/defaults.js b/src/traces/scatter/defaults.js
index 0450df06fa9..a3029f69475 100644
--- a/src/traces/scatter/defaults.js
+++ b/src/traces/scatter/defaults.js
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ module.exports = function supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout
         dfltHoverOn.push('fills');
     }
     coerce('hoveron', dfltHoverOn.join('+') || 'points');
-    if(traceOut.hoveron !== 'fills') coerce('hovertemplate');
+    coerce('hovertemplate', false);
     var errorBarsSupplyDefaults = Registry.getComponentMethod('errorbars', 'supplyDefaults');
     errorBarsSupplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, lineColor || markerColor || defaultColor, {axis: 'y'});
     errorBarsSupplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, lineColor || markerColor || defaultColor, {axis: 'x', inherit: 'y'});
diff --git a/src/traces/scatter/hover.js b/src/traces/scatter/hover.js
index c86a5b902f8..2414dbf0b08 100644
--- a/src/traces/scatter/hover.js
+++ b/src/traces/scatter/hover.js
@@ -184,7 +184,10 @@ module.exports = function hoverPoints(pointData, xval, yval, hovermode) {
             else if(Color.opacity((trace.line || {}).color)) {
                 color = trace.line.color;
             }
-
+            var hovertemplate = false;
+            if(trace.mode === 'lines') {
+                hovertemplate = trace.hovertemplate;
+            }
             Lib.extendFlat(pointData, {
                 // never let a 2D override 1D type as closest point
                 // also: no spikeDistance, it's not allowed for fills
@@ -194,7 +197,7 @@ module.exports = function hoverPoints(pointData, xval, yval, hovermode) {
                 y0: yAvg,
                 y1: yAvg,
                 color: color,
-                hovertemplate: false
+                hovertemplate: hovertemplate,
             });
 
             delete pointData.index;