diff --git a/src/srun/opt.c b/src/srun/opt.c
index 34db0831b79b0eb91f247a7ab319b99147c427f0..0d9a016a9632941afe14d2958ce870651336e4b8 100644
--- a/src/srun/opt.c
+++ b/src/srun/opt.c
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ static void opt_default()
 	opt.nprocs_set = false;
 	opt.cpus_per_task = 1;
 	opt.cpus_set = false;
-	opt.nodes = 0; /* nodes need not be set */
+	opt.nodes = 1;
 	opt.nodes_set = false;
 	opt.time_limit = -1;
 	opt.partition = NULL;