diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 275f979aa5c68b0af07fc53e8ac56dee90643d40..b1695a83a298d1240c05d1ecd1b53a8b34dceb6a 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -1747,7 +1747,7 @@ static int cntlr_config_get_agent_node(struct controller_config *c,
 		if (errno || *endptr != '\0')
 			a->report_metric_periodic = 1;
 	} else
-		a->report_metric_periodic = 1;
+		a->report_metric_periodic = 5;
 
 	if (tb[NODE_STEER_DISALLOW]) {
 		int enbl;