diff --git a/include/ss/converter.hpp b/include/ss/converter.hpp
index f18ed29..51b1004 100644
--- a/include/ss/converter.hpp
+++ b/include/ss/converter.hpp
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ private:
     std::vector<string_range> input_;
     std::string string_error_;
     bool bool_error_;
-    enum error_mode error_mode_ { error_mode::String };
+    enum error_mode error_mode_ { error_mode::Bool };
 };
 
 template <>
diff --git a/include/ss/parser.hpp b/include/ss/parser.hpp
index 5093cb1..845b2d8 100644
--- a/include/ss/parser.hpp
+++ b/include/ss/parser.hpp
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ private:
     const std::string delim_;
     std::string string_error_;
     bool bool_error_;
-    error_mode error_mode_{error_mode::String};
+    error_mode error_mode_{error_mode::Bool};
     converter converter_;
     converter::split_input split_input_;
     FILE* file_{nullptr};
diff --git a/test/test_converter.cpp b/test/test_converter.cpp
index 6ded5f7..3e55d8d 100644
--- a/test/test_converter.cpp
+++ b/test/test_converter.cpp
@@ -328,10 +328,10 @@ TEST_CASE("testing error mode") {
 
     c.convert<int>("junk");
     CHECK(!c.valid());
-    CHECK(!c.error_msg().empty());
+    CHECK(c.error_msg().empty());
 
-    c.set_error_mode(ss::error_mode::Bool);
+    c.set_error_mode(ss::error_mode::String);
     c.convert<int>("junk");
     CHECK(!c.valid());
-    CHECK(c.error_msg().empty());
+    CHECK(!c.error_msg().empty());
 }
diff --git a/test/test_parser.cpp b/test/test_parser.cpp
index c1eae76..d7cbb74 100644
--- a/test/test_parser.cpp
+++ b/test/test_parser.cpp
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ TEST_CASE("testing composite conversion") {
     }
 
     ss::parser p{f.name, ","};
+    p.set_error_mode(ss::error_mode::String);
     auto fail = [] { FAIL(""); };
     auto expect_error = [](auto error) { CHECK(!error.empty()); };
 
@@ -452,12 +453,12 @@ TEST_CASE("testing error mode") {
     REQUIRE(!p.eof());
     p.get_next<int>();
     CHECK(!p.valid());
-    CHECK(!p.error_msg().empty());
+    CHECK(p.error_msg().empty());
 
-    p.set_error_mode(ss::error_mode::Bool);
+    p.set_error_mode(ss::error_mode::String);
 
     REQUIRE(!p.eof());
     p.get_next<int>();
     CHECK(!p.valid());
-    CHECK(p.error_msg().empty());
+    CHECK(!p.error_msg().empty());
 }