diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Stage.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Stage.java
index 26fd1b92e..64db559fc 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Stage.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Stage.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public class Stage extends ComponentAssembly implements FlightConfigurableCompon
 	private double angularPosition_rad = 0;
 	private double radialPosition_m = 0;
 	
-	private int count = 1;
+	private int count = 2;
 	private double angularSeparation = Math.PI;
 	
 	private int stageNumber;
@@ -36,13 +36,11 @@ public class Stage extends ComponentAssembly implements FlightConfigurableCompon
 		Stage.stageCount++;
 	}
 	
-	
 	@Override
 	public boolean allowsChildren() {
 		return true;
 	}
 	
-	
 	@Override
 	public String getComponentName() {
 		//// Stage
diff --git a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/StageConfig.java b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/StageConfig.java
index d8c82d6de..588c09bb2 100644
--- a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/StageConfig.java
+++ b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/StageConfig.java
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ public class StageConfig extends RocketComponentConfig {
 		motherPanel.add( countLabel, "align left");
 		parallelEnabledModel.addEnableComponent( countLabel, true);
 		
-		IntegerModel countModel = new IntegerModel( stage, "InstanceCount", 1 );
+		IntegerModel countModel = new IntegerModel( stage, "InstanceCount", 2);
 		JSpinner countSpinner = new JSpinner(countModel.getSpinnerModel());
 		countSpinner.setEditor(new SpinnerEditor(countSpinner));
 		motherPanel.add(countSpinner, "growx 1, wrap");