diff --git a/src/evdev_axes.c b/src/evdev_axes.c
index e967c61..a3b4051 100644
--- a/src/evdev_axes.c
+++ b/src/evdev_axes.c
@@ -868,7 +868,7 @@ EvdevAxesInit (DeviceIntPtr device)
      * This has to go in Init, because until now there is no valuator struct
      * allocated.
      */
-    s = xf86SetStrOption(pInfo->options, "Mode", "Absolute");
+    s = xf86SetStrOption(pInfo->options, "Mode", "Relative");
     if (!strcasecmp(s, "Absolute")) {
 	pInfo->dev->valuator->mode = Absolute;
 	xf86Msg(X_CONFIG, "%s: Configuring in %s mode.\n", pInfo->name, s);