diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7aef717174db6a396f4c74f92cd408d49c5a4e6c..5d569fb28de9bc055360137b9b8b0b3eef300907 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ set(EXTERNAL_INCLUDES "")
 #----------------------------------------------------------
 # Threading model selection
 #----------------------------------------------------------
-set(NMC_THREADING_MODEL "serial" CACHE STRING "set the threading model, one of serial/tbb/cthread")
-set_property(CACHE NMC_THREADING_MODEL PROPERTY STRINGS serial tbb cthread)
+set(NMC_THREADING_MODEL "cthread" CACHE STRING "set the threading model, one of cthread/tbb/serial")
+set_property(CACHE NMC_THREADING_MODEL PROPERTY STRINGS cthread tbb serial )
 
 if(NMC_THREADING_MODEL MATCHES "tbb")