diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/perf/StreamPerfTest.java b/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/perf/StreamPerfTest.java
index 5cdb43e..37967f8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/perf/StreamPerfTest.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/perf/StreamPerfTest.java
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ void setDeleteStreams(String input) throws Exception {
           "leader locator strategy for created stream. "
               + "Possible values: client-local, balanced (RabbitMQ 3.10), least-leaders, random.",
       converter = Converters.LeaderLocatorTypeConverter.class,
-      defaultValue = "least-leaders")
+      defaultValue = "balanced")
   private LeaderLocator leaderLocator;
 
   @CommandLine.Option(
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/perf/StreamPerfTestTest.java b/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/perf/StreamPerfTestTest.java
index 8535d82..e2b8a89 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/perf/StreamPerfTestTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/perf/StreamPerfTestTest.java
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ void streamCreationIsIdempotentWhateverTheDifferencesInStreamProperties() throws
             new StreamParametersBuilder()
                 .maxLengthBytes(ByteCapacity.GB(1))
                 .maxSegmentSizeBytes(ByteCapacity.MB(500))
-                .leaderLocator(LeaderLocator.LEAST_LEADERS)
+                .leaderLocator(LeaderLocator.BALANCED)
                 .build());
     assertThat(response.isOk()).isTrue();
     Future<?> run =
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ void streamCreationIsIdempotentWhateverTheDifferencesInStreamProperties() throws
             builder()
                 .maxLengthBytes(ByteCapacity.GB(42)) // different from already existing stream
                 .streamMaxSegmentSizeBytes(ByteCapacity.MB(500))
-                .leaderLocator(LeaderLocator.LEAST_LEADERS));
+                .leaderLocator(LeaderLocator.BALANCED));
     waitOneSecond();
     run.cancel(true);
     waitRunEnds();