diff --git a/urban_footprinter/__init__.py b/urban_footprinter/__init__.py
index 6e23015..a2a880b 100644
--- a/urban_footprinter/__init__.py
+++ b/urban_footprinter/__init__.py
@@ -11,7 +11,11 @@
 
 __version__ = "0.2.0"
 
-__all__ = ["UrbanFootprinter", "urban_footprint_mask", "urban_footprint_mask_shp"]
+__all__ = [
+    "UrbanFootprinter",
+    "urban_footprint_mask",
+    "urban_footprint_mask_shp",
+]
 
 KERNEL_MOORE = ndi.generate_binary_structure(2, 2)
 
@@ -136,7 +140,7 @@ def get_convolution_result(self, kernel_radius):
             return urban_mask
 
     def compute_footprint_mask(
-        self, kernel_radius, urban_threshold, num_patches=1, buffer_dist=None
+        self, kernel_radius, urban_threshold, num_patches=None, buffer_dist=None
     ):
         """Compute a boolean mask of the urban footprint of a given raster.
 
@@ -149,8 +153,9 @@ def compute_footprint_mask(
             given pixel is considered urban.
         num_patches : int, default 1
             The number of urban patches that should be featured in the returned
-            urban/non-urban mask. If `None` or a value lower than one is provided, the
-            returned urban/non-urban mask will featuer all the urban patches.
+            urban/non-urban mask. If a value lower than one is provided, the returned
+            urban/non-urban mask will featuer all the urban patches. If no value is
+            provided, the default value from `settings.DEFAULT_NUM_PATCHES` is used.
         buffer_dist : numeric, optional
             Distance to be buffered around the urban/non-urban mask. If no value is
             provided, no buffer is applied.
diff --git a/urban_footprinter/settings.py b/urban_footprinter/settings.py
index f8644bf..3111366 100644
--- a/urban_footprinter/settings.py
+++ b/urban_footprinter/settings.py
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@
 DEFAULT_LULC_DTYPE = np.int32
 DEFAULT_MASK_DTYPE = np.uint8
 DEFAULT_CONV_BORDER_TYPE = cv2.BORDER_REFLECT
+DEFAULT_NUM_PATCHES = 1