diff --git a/xmsgrid/python/geometry/GmMultiPolyIntersector_py.cpp b/xmsgrid/python/geometry/GmMultiPolyIntersector_py.cpp
index 736bc810..0c2cfa56 100644
--- a/xmsgrid/python/geometry/GmMultiPolyIntersector_py.cpp
+++ b/xmsgrid/python/geometry/GmMultiPolyIntersector_py.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ void initGmMultiPolyIntersector(py::module &m) {
     BSHP<xms::GmMultiPolyIntersector> rval(xms::GmMultiPolyIntersector::New(*vec_pts, *vec_polys, sorter, starting_id));
     rval->SetQuery(query == "covered_by" ? xms::GMMPIQ_COVEREDBY : xms::GMMPIQ_INTERSECTS);
     return rval;
-  }), py::arg("points"), py::arg("polys"), py::arg("starting_id") = 1, py::arg("query") = 'covered_by')
+  }), py::arg("points"), py::arg("polys"), py::arg("starting_id") = 1, py::arg("query") = "covered_by")
   .def_property("query", &xms::GmMultiPolyIntersector::GetQuery, &xms::GmMultiPolyIntersector::SetQuery);
   // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // function: TraverseLineSegment