diff --git a/Common/DefaultOptions.h b/Common/DefaultOptions.h
index 59bbfc296b5dfd795022f0d1531487826b9d88d7..3a7b163446d7602e232258803de797d2a7436548 100644
--- a/Common/DefaultOptions.h
+++ b/Common/DefaultOptions.h
@@ -959,14 +959,14 @@ StringXNumber MeshOptions_Number[] = {
 
   { F|O, "Hexahedra" , opt_mesh_hexahedra , 1. ,
     "Display mesh hexahedra?" },
-  { F|0, "HighOrderNumLayers", opt_mesh_ho_nlayers, 3.,
+  { F|0, "HighOrderNumLayers", opt_mesh_ho_nlayers, 6.,
     "Number of high order mesh elements to consider for optimization"},
   { F|O, "HighOrderOptimize" , opt_mesh_ho_optimize , 0.,
     "Optimize high order meshes?" },
   { F|0, "HighOrderPoissonRatio", opt_mesh_ho_poisson, 0.33,
     "Poisson ratio of the material used in the elastic smoother for high order meshes"
     "Must be between -1.0 and 0.5, excluded"},
-  { F|O, "HighOrderThresholdMin", opt_mesh_ho_threshold_min, 0.2,
+  { F|O, "HighOrderThresholdMin", opt_mesh_ho_threshold_min, 0.1,
     "Minimum threshold for high order element optimization"},
   { F|O, "HighOrderThresholdMax", opt_mesh_ho_threshold_max, 2.0,
     "Maximum threshold for high order element optimization"},
diff --git a/Fltk/highOrderToolsWindow.cpp b/Fltk/highOrderToolsWindow.cpp
index ce19a49adfc4b71a237da5243e5adbe84ff3aa68..267ed50089d379f753ca341c73350f200b8a3a42 100644
--- a/Fltk/highOrderToolsWindow.cpp
+++ b/Fltk/highOrderToolsWindow.cpp
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ highOrderToolsWindow::highOrderToolsWindow(int deltaFontSize)
   value[1]->maximum(1);
   value[1]->step(.01);
   value[1]->align(FL_ALIGN_RIGHT);
-  value[1]->value(0.1);
+  value[1]->value(CTX::instance()->mesh.hoThresholdMin);
 
   value[8] = new Fl_Value_Input
     (x+IW/2.0,y, IW/2.0, BH, "Target Jacobian range");
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ highOrderToolsWindow::highOrderToolsWindow(int deltaFontSize)
   value[8]->maximum(10);
   value[8]->step(.01);
   value[8]->align(FL_ALIGN_RIGHT);
-  value[8]->value(2);
+  value[8]->value(CTX::instance()->mesh.hoThresholdMax);
 
   y += BH;
   value[2] = new Fl_Value_Input
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ highOrderToolsWindow::highOrderToolsWindow(int deltaFontSize)
   value[2]->maximum(20);
   value[2]->step(1);
   value[2]->align(FL_ALIGN_RIGHT);
-  value[2]->value(6);
+  value[2]->value(CTX::instance()->mesh.hoNLayers);
 
   y += BH;
   value[7] = new Fl_Value_Input
diff --git a/doc/texinfo/opt_mesh.texi b/doc/texinfo/opt_mesh.texi
index a493a99033335577f26e963477c4c80f8f08c0c6..22e8bc40f876d465ce317c7e36ea807a8020ccb0 100644
--- a/doc/texinfo/opt_mesh.texi
+++ b/doc/texinfo/opt_mesh.texi
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ Saved in: @code{General.OptionsFileName}
 
 @item Mesh.HighOrderNumLayers
 Number of high order mesh elements to consider for optimization@*
-Default value: @code{3}@*
+Default value: @code{6}@*
 Saved in: @code{-}
 
 @item Mesh.HighOrderOptimize
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ Saved in: @code{-}
 
 @item Mesh.HighOrderThresholdMin
 Minimum threshold for high order element optimization@*
-Default value: @code{0.2}@*
+Default value: @code{0.1}@*
 Saved in: @code{General.OptionsFileName}
 
 @item Mesh.HighOrderThresholdMax