diff --git a/R/opts.R b/R/opts.R
index 05ababa53..c2c23429d 100644
--- a/R/opts.R
+++ b/R/opts.R
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ gp_opts <- function(basis_prop = 0.2,
                     ls_min = 0,
                     ls_max = 60,
                     alpha_mean = 0,
-                    alpha_sd = 0.05,
+                    alpha_sd = 0.01,
                     kernel = c("matern", "se", "ou", "periodic"),
                     matern_order = 3 / 2,
                     matern_type,
diff --git a/man/gp_opts.Rd b/man/gp_opts.Rd
index af331312d..e8f7197be 100644
--- a/man/gp_opts.Rd
+++ b/man/gp_opts.Rd
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ gp_opts(
   ls_min = 0,
   ls_max = 60,
   alpha_mean = 0,
-  alpha_sd = 0.05,
+  alpha_sd = 0.01,
   kernel = c("matern", "se", "ou", "periodic"),
   matern_order = 3/2,
   matern_type,
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-create_gp_data.R b/tests/testthat/test-create_gp_data.R
index 81cd895d6..b1f7cc765 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-create_gp_data.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-create_gp_data.R
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ test_that("create_gp_data returns correct default values when GP is disabled", {
   expect_equal(gp_data$ls_sdlog, convert_to_logsd(21, 7))
   expect_equal(gp_data$ls_min, 0)
   expect_equal(gp_data$ls_max, 3.54, tolerance = 0.01)
-  expect_equal(gp_data$alpha_sd, 0.05)
+  expect_equal(gp_data$alpha_sd, 0.01)
   expect_equal(gp_data$gp_type, 2)  # Default to Matern
   expect_equal(gp_data$nu, 3 / 2)
   expect_equal(gp_data$w0, 1.0)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-gp_opts.R b/tests/testthat/test-gp_opts.R
index b34a25952..cd848b75c 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-gp_opts.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-gp_opts.R
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ test_that("gp_opts returns correct default values", {
   expect_equal(gp$ls_sd, 7)
   expect_equal(gp$ls_min, 0)
   expect_equal(gp$ls_max, 60)
-  expect_equal(gp$alpha_sd, 0.05)
+  expect_equal(gp$alpha_sd, 0.01)
   expect_equal(gp$kernel, "matern")
   expect_equal(gp$matern_order, 3 / 2)
   expect_equal(gp$w0, 1.0)