diff --git a/Common/processfields_sar.cpp b/Common/processfields_sar.cpp
index 73017cd..0d4b4a1 100644
--- a/Common/processfields_sar.cpp
+++ b/Common/processfields_sar.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 ProcessFieldsSAR::ProcessFieldsSAR(Engine_Interface_Base* eng_if) : ProcessFieldsFD(eng_if)
 {
-	m_UseCellKappa = false;
+	m_UseCellKappa = true;
 	m_SAR_method = "Simple";
 }
 
diff --git a/Common/processfields_sar.h b/Common/processfields_sar.h
index 963ac04..8e4c353 100644
--- a/Common/processfields_sar.h
+++ b/Common/processfields_sar.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public:
 
 	virtual void SetOptResolution(double optRes, int dir=-1);
 
-	//! Set to true for using the conductivity found at the center of a cell, instead of default E*J
+	//! Set to true for using the conductivity found at the center of a cell, or false for E*J instead
 	virtual void SetUseCellConductivity(bool val) {m_UseCellKappa=val;}
 
 	virtual void SetSARAveragingMethod(string method) {m_SAR_method=method;}
diff --git a/openems.cpp b/openems.cpp
index d930db8..a3ffa79 100644
--- a/openems.cpp
+++ b/openems.cpp
@@ -441,6 +441,8 @@ bool openEMS::SetupProcessing()
 						string method = db->GetAttributeValue("SAR_Method");
 						if (!method.empty())
 							procSAR->SetSARAveragingMethod(method);
+						// use (center)-cell based conductivity only
+						procSAR->SetUseCellConductivity(true);
 					}
 					else
 						cerr << "openEMS::SetupFDTD: unknown dump box type... skipping!" << endl;