diff --git a/render-ws-java-client/src/main/java/org/janelia/render/client/newsolver/setup/AffineSolverSetup.java b/render-ws-java-client/src/main/java/org/janelia/render/client/newsolver/setup/AffineSolverSetup.java
index e2ef3aa1e..1076627e7 100644
--- a/render-ws-java-client/src/main/java/org/janelia/render/client/newsolver/setup/AffineSolverSetup.java
+++ b/render-ws-java-client/src/main/java/org/janelia/render/client/newsolver/setup/AffineSolverSetup.java
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ public SerializableValuePair<Integer, Integer> convert( final String value )
     public int maxNumMatches = 0;
 
     @Parameter(names = "--maxZRangeMatches", description = "max z-range in which to load matches (default: '-1' - no limit)")
-    public int maxZRangeMatches = 0;
+    public int maxZRangeMatches = -1;
 
     //
     // for saving and running