diff --git a/tools/ARIAtools/extractProduct.py b/tools/ARIAtools/extractProduct.py
index 14bda594..a511f1e9 100755
--- a/tools/ARIAtools/extractProduct.py
+++ b/tools/ARIAtools/extractProduct.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def createParser():
                         help='Amplitude threshold below which to mask. Specify "None" to not use amplitude mask. By default "None".')
     parser.add_argument('-nt', '--num_threads', dest='num_threads', default='2', type=str,
                         help='Specify number of threads for multiprocessing operation in gdal. By default "2". Can also specify "All" to use all available threads.')
-    parser.add_argument('-sm', '--stitchMethod', dest='stitchMethodType',  type=str, default='overlap',
+    parser.add_argument('-sm', '--stitchMethod', dest='stitchMethodType',  type=str, default='sequential',
                         help="Method applied to stitch the unwrapped data. Allowed methods are: 'overlap', '2stage', and 'sequential'. 'overlap' - product overlap is minimized, '2stage' - minimization is done on connected components, 'sequential' - sequential minimization of all overlapping connected components.  Default is 'overlap'.")
     parser.add_argument('-of', '--outputFormat', dest='outputFormat', type=str, default='VRT',
                         help='GDAL compatible output format (e.g., "ENVI", "GTiff"). By default files are generated virtually except for "bPerpendicular", "bParallel", "incidenceAngle", "lookAngle","azimuthAngle", "unwrappedPhase" as these are require either DEM intersection or corrections to be applied')
diff --git a/tools/ARIAtools/tsSetup.py b/tools/ARIAtools/tsSetup.py
index eb9a63ee..8e95d662 100644
--- a/tools/ARIAtools/tsSetup.py
+++ b/tools/ARIAtools/tsSetup.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ def create_parser():
                                                     'By default "2". Can also specify "All" to use all '
                                                     'available threads.')
     parser.add_argument('-sm', '--stitchMethod', dest='stitchMethodType',
-                        type=str, default='overlap', help='Method applied to '
+                        type=str, default='sequential', help='Method applied to '
                                                           'stitch the unwrapped data. Allowed methods are: '
                                                           '"overlap", "2stage", and "sequential". "overlap" - '
                                                           'product overlap is minimized, "2stage" - '