diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/sling/testing/clients/SlingClientConfig.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/sling/testing/clients/SlingClientConfig.java
index 531d7e1..43825f6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/sling/testing/clients/SlingClientConfig.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/sling/testing/clients/SlingClientConfig.java
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@
 
         protected AuthCache authCache;
 
-        protected boolean preeemptiveAuth;
+        protected boolean preemptiveAuth = true;
 
         protected Builder() {
         }
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@
         }
 
         public Builder setPreemptiveAuth(boolean preemptiveAuth) {
-            this.preeemptiveAuth = preemptiveAuth;
+            this.preemptiveAuth = preemptiveAuth;
             return this;
         }
 
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@
             }
 
             // if preemptive auth is disabled, force auth cache to be null
-            if (!this.preeemptiveAuth) {
+            if (!this.preemptiveAuth) {
                 authCache = null;
             }