diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/file/block.json b/packages/block-library/src/file/block.json
index 693fecc342161a..0c36a06aa9a55e 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/file/block.json
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/file/block.json
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@
 		"downloadButtonText": {
 			"type": "string",
 			"source": "html",
-			"selector": "a[download]",
-			"default": "Download"
+			"selector": "a[download]"
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/file/edit.js b/packages/block-library/src/file/edit.js
index 3ce7211eceb854..9aa76977cc2cec 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/file/edit.js
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/file/edit.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import {
 } from '@wordpress/block-editor';
 import { mediaUpload } from '@wordpress/editor';
 import { Component, Fragment } from '@wordpress/element';
-import { __ } from '@wordpress/i18n';
+import { __, _x } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 
 /**
  * Internal dependencies
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ class FileEdit extends Component {
 	}
 
 	componentDidMount() {
-		const { attributes, noticeOperations } = this.props;
-		const { href } = attributes;
+		const { attributes, noticeOperations, setAttributes } = this.props;
+		const { downloadButtonText, href } = attributes;
 
 		// Upload a file drag-and-dropped into the editor
 		if ( isBlobURL( href ) ) {
@@ -73,6 +73,12 @@ class FileEdit extends Component {
 
 			revokeBlobURL( href );
 		}
+
+		if ( downloadButtonText === undefined ) {
+			setAttributes( {
+				downloadButtonText: _x( 'Download', 'button label' ),
+			} );
+		}
 	}
 
 	componentDidUpdate( prevProps ) {