diff --git a/python/lsst/pipe/tasks/calibrateImage.py b/python/lsst/pipe/tasks/calibrateImage.py
index 3cf8dd3de..d3ed8fcec 100644
--- a/python/lsst/pipe/tasks/calibrateImage.py
+++ b/python/lsst/pipe/tasks/calibrateImage.py
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def setDefaults(self):
         # and do initial detection at S/N>5.0?
         # Detection for good S/N for astrometry/photometry and other
         # downstream tasks.
-        self.star_detection.thresholdValue = 10.0
+        self.star_detection.thresholdValue = 5.0
         self.star_measurement.plugins = ["base_PixelFlags",
                                          "base_SdssCentroid",
                                          "ext_shapeHSM_HsmSourceMoments",