diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sensor/rtorrent.py b/homeassistant/components/sensor/rtorrent.py
index f71b9c6dbdb..7822bcd58b7 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sensor/rtorrent.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sensor/rtorrent.py
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ SENSOR_TYPES = {
 PLATFORM_SCHEMA = PLATFORM_SCHEMA.extend({
     vol.Required(CONF_URL): cv.url,
     vol.Optional(CONF_NAME, default=DEFAULT_NAME): cv.string,
-    vol.Optional(CONF_MONITORED_VARIABLES, default=[]): vol.All(
-        cv.ensure_list, [vol.In(SENSOR_TYPES)]),
+    vol.Optional(CONF_MONITORED_VARIABLES, default=list(SENSOR_TYPES)):
+        vol.All(cv.ensure_list, [vol.In(SENSOR_TYPES)]),
 })