diff --git a/rtslib/root.py b/rtslib/root.py
index b83d7ee..49c4dfc 100644
--- a/rtslib/root.py
+++ b/rtslib/root.py
@@ -166,13 +166,13 @@ class RTSRoot(CFSNode):
             self._dbroot = self._default_dbroot
             return
         self._dbroot = fread(dbroot_path)
-        if self._dbroot != self._preferred_dbroot:
+        if self._dbroot != self._default_dbroot:
             try:
-                fwrite(dbroot_path, self._preferred_dbroot+"\n")
+                fwrite(dbroot_path, self._default_dbroot+"\n")
             except:
-                if not os.path.isdir(self._preferred_dbroot):
+                if not os.path.isdir(self._default_dbroot):
                     raise RTSLibError("Cannot set dbroot to {}. Please check if this directory exists."
-                                      .format(self._preferred_dbroot))
+                                      .format(self._default_dbroot))
             self._dbroot = fread(dbroot_path)
 
     def _get_dbroot(self):