diff --git a/docs/livecd-creator.pod b/docs/livecd-creator.pod
index 63ea88b..1827728 100644
--- a/docs/livecd-creator.pod
+++ b/docs/livecd-creator.pod
@@ -43,9 +43,10 @@ Defines the file system label. The default is based on the configuration name.
 =item --compression-type=COMPRESSOR
 
 Specify a compressor recognized by mksquashfs.
-gzip is the default and should work with all kernels.
+xz is the default and works with 2.6.38 and later kernels.
+gzip works with all kernels.
 lzo works with 2.6.36 and later kernels.
-xz works with 2.6.38 and later kernels. lzma will only work with custom kernels.
+lzma will only work with custom kernels.
 If gzip is used, the -comp option is not passed to mksquashfs to allow the use of older versions of mksquashfs.
 
 =item --releasever=VER
diff --git a/tools/livecd-creator b/tools/livecd-creator
index 85d74eb..75949c1 100755
--- a/tools/livecd-creator
+++ b/tools/livecd-creator
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ def parse_options(args):
     imgopt.add_option("", "--image-type", type="string", dest="image_type",
                       help=optparse.SUPPRESS_HELP)
     imgopt.add_option("", "--compression-type", type="string", dest="compress_type",
-                      help="Compression type recognized by mksquashfs (default gzip, xz needs a 2.6.38+ kernel, lzo needs a 2.6.36+ kernel, lzma needs custom kernel)",
-                      default="gzip")
+                      help="Compression type recognized by mksquashfs (default xz needs a 2.6.38+ kernel, gzip works with all kernels, lzo needs a 2.6.36+ kernel, lzma needs custom kernel)",
+                      default="xz")
     imgopt.add_option("", "--releasever", type="string", dest="releasever",
                       default=None,
                       help="Value to substitute for $releasever in kickstart repo urls")