diff --git a/modules/dcache/src/main/java/org/dcache/pool/migration/MigrationModule.java b/modules/dcache/src/main/java/org/dcache/pool/migration/MigrationModule.java
index 08ec19c3657..327f7ba5118 100644
--- a/modules/dcache/src/main/java/org/dcache/pool/migration/MigrationModule.java
+++ b/modules/dcache/src/main/java/org/dcache/pool/migration/MigrationModule.java
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ public class MigrationCopyCommand implements Callable<String> {
         @Option(name = "target", values = {"pool", "pgroup", "link", "hsm"},
               category = "Target options",
               usage = "Determines the interpretation of the target names.")
-        String target = null;
+        String target = "pool";
 
         @Option(name = "meta-only",
               category = "Target options",
@@ -545,19 +545,17 @@ public class MigrationCopyCommand implements Callable<String> {
 
         private RefreshablePoolList createPoolList(String type, List<String> targets) {
             CellStub poolManager = _context.getPoolManagerStub();
-            if (type == null) {
-                type = "pgroup";
-                if (targets.isEmpty()) {
-                    return new PoolListBySourcePoolPoolGroup(poolManager, _context.getPoolName());
-                }
-            }
             switch (type) {
                 case "pool":
                     return new PoolListByNames(poolManager, targets);
                 case "hsm":
                     return new PoolListByHsm(poolManager, targets);
                 case "pgroup":
-                    return new PoolListByPoolGroup(poolManager, targets);
+                    if (targets.isEmpty()) {
+                        return new PoolListBySourcePoolPoolGroup(poolManager, _context.getPoolName());
+                    } else {
+                        return new PoolListByPoolGroup(poolManager, targets);
+                    }
                 case "link":
                     if (targets.size() != 1) {
                         throw new IllegalArgumentException(targets.toString() +