diff --git a/schemas/TerminalComponentModeler.json b/schemas/TerminalComponentModeler.json
index b4883e14bd..f36e3885df 100644
--- a/schemas/TerminalComponentModeler.json
+++ b/schemas/TerminalComponentModeler.json
@@ -18245,15 +18245,7 @@
         {
           "$ref": "#/definitions/ModelerLowFrequencySmoothingSpec"
         }
-      ],
-      "default": {
-        "attrs": {},
-        "max_deviation": 0.5,
-        "max_sampling_time": 5.0,
-        "min_sampling_time": 1.0,
-        "order": 1,
-        "type": "ModelerLowFrequencySmoothingSpec"
-      }
+      ]
     },
     "name": {
       "default": "",
diff --git a/tidy3d/plugins/smatrix/component_modelers/terminal.py b/tidy3d/plugins/smatrix/component_modelers/terminal.py
index cbd7cb7fd9..c656ce24b5 100644
--- a/tidy3d/plugins/smatrix/component_modelers/terminal.py
+++ b/tidy3d/plugins/smatrix/component_modelers/terminal.py
@@ -133,9 +133,6 @@ class ModelerLowFrequencySmoothingSpec(AbstractLowFrequencySmoothingSpec):
     """
 
 
-DEFAULT_LOW_FREQUENCY_SMOOTHING_SPEC = ModelerLowFrequencySmoothingSpec()
-
-
 class TerminalComponentModeler(AbstractComponentModeler, MicrowaveBaseModel):
     """
     Tool for modeling two-terminal multiport devices and computing port parameters
@@ -208,7 +205,7 @@ class TerminalComponentModeler(AbstractComponentModeler, MicrowaveBaseModel):
     )
 
     low_freq_smoothing: Optional[ModelerLowFrequencySmoothingSpec] = pd.Field(
-        DEFAULT_LOW_FREQUENCY_SMOOTHING_SPEC,
+        None,
         title="Low Frequency Smoothing",
         description="The low frequency smoothing parameters for the terminal component simulation.",
     )