diff --git a/src/geometry_mod.F90 b/src/geometry_mod.F90
index 13d0ab5e8a1333e06aba155aaba85e0baf8f2159..136696146936f01a995c08d58cebbefa6349168e 100644
--- a/src/geometry_mod.F90
+++ b/src/geometry_mod.F90
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ implicit none
   !  'disconnected' : Connect all kx to 0
   !  'shearless'    : Connect all kx to itself
   CHARACTER(len=256), &
-               PUBLIC, PROTECTED :: parallel_bc
+               PUBLIC, PROTECTED :: parallel_bc = 'dirichlet'
 
   ! GENE unused additional parameters for miller_mod
   REAL(xp), PUBLIC, PROTECTED :: edge_opt      = 0.0_xp ! meant to redistribute the points in z