diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ff36f36aa2d0ac46aea54eb83cb8fa45601b9459..fdd263bff26a1a614d7cefe0d5fc4088c3fa8893 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1269,10 +1269,10 @@ esac
 #  Gravity multipole order
 AC_ARG_WITH([multipole-order],
    [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-multipole-order=<order>],
-      [order of the multipole and gravitational field expansion @<:@ default: 5@:>@]
+      [order of the multipole and gravitational field expansion @<:@ default: 4@:>@]
    )],
    [with_multipole_order="$withval"],
-   [with_multipole_order="5"]
+   [with_multipole_order="4"]
 )
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([SELF_GRAVITY_MULTIPOLE_ORDER], [$with_multipole_order], [Multipole order])