defoptions in menu.1st updated by update-grub ???

[Brian McKee]

I'm trying to change the line in /boot/grub/menu.1st that refers to the
default options for the default kernel

It reads
    ## additional options to use with the default boot option but
       not with the alternatives ## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
    # defoptions=quiet splash

It doesn't matter if I delete that #defoptions line or change it to
#defoptions=
Once I run update-grub it changes it right back!

I have made other changes to the file (like turning hiddenmenu off, and
adding an altoptions line) and they are both respected and used in the
file.

How the heck do I prevent it from over-ridding the defoptions I set?
And why is it doing that?

(background - I want 80x25 console - which means no splash or quiet
options.  I need to set it in menu.1st so future kernel updates don't
just overwrite my changes....)

Comments appreciated,

Brian