diff --git a/cpu_governor_auto_adjust.xml b/cpu_governor_auto_adjust.xml
index 6af8ab9..018ff4a 100644
--- a/cpu_governor_auto_adjust.xml
+++ b/cpu_governor_auto_adjust.xml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 <cpuGovernorAutoAdjust>
     <logLevel>Debug</logLevel>
     <testMode>true</testMode>
+    <defaultGovernor>conservative</defaultGovernor>
     <triggers>
         <trigger>
             <name>test_trigger1</name>
diff --git a/cpu_governor_auto_adjust/config.py b/cpu_governor_auto_adjust/config.py
index 3061aa4..4d530f7 100644
--- a/cpu_governor_auto_adjust/config.py
+++ b/cpu_governor_auto_adjust/config.py
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ class Config:
             raise ValueError("testMode can only be 'true' or 'false")
         return True if value == 'true' else False
     
+    @cached_property
+    def default_governor(self) -> str:
+        _default_governor = self._get_single_text_value_from_xpath('defaultGovernor')
+        return _default_governor
+    
     @cached_property
     def triggertuples(self) -> list[TriggerTuple]:
         ret_val = []
diff --git a/cpu_governor_auto_adjust/schedule.py b/cpu_governor_auto_adjust/schedule.py
index 19b9d27..371761d 100644
--- a/cpu_governor_auto_adjust/schedule.py
+++ b/cpu_governor_auto_adjust/schedule.py
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ class TriggerScheduler(AppClass):
         return GovernorControl(self._config)
     
     def establish_preferred_governor(self) -> str:
-        preferred_governor: Governor = [gov for gov in _governor_list if gov.name == 'powersave'].pop()
+        self.log.debug('establishing preferred governor, default governor: %s', self._config.default_governor)
+        preferred_governor: Governor = [gov for gov in _governor_list if gov.name == self._config.default_governor].pop()
         for trigger in self.running_triggers:
             self.log.debug('trigger %s, state: %s, preferred governor: %s', trigger.name, trigger.trigger_state, trigger.governor.name)
             if trigger.active: