diff --git a/nipype/interfaces/freesurfer/tests/test_auto_SampleToSurface.py b/nipype/interfaces/freesurfer/tests/test_auto_SampleToSurface.py
index fd6440f10f..107243b1ef 100644
--- a/nipype/interfaces/freesurfer/tests/test_auto_SampleToSurface.py
+++ b/nipype/interfaces/freesurfer/tests/test_auto_SampleToSurface.py
@@ -93,8 +93,9 @@ def test_SampleToSurface_inputs():
     ),
     subject_id=dict(),
     subjects_dir=dict(),
-    surf_reg=dict(argstr='--surfreg',
+    surf_reg=dict(argstr='--surfreg %s',
     requires=['target_subject'],
+    usedefault=True,
     ),
     surface=dict(argstr='--surf %s',
     ),
diff --git a/nipype/interfaces/freesurfer/utils.py b/nipype/interfaces/freesurfer/utils.py
index a5568ebbcb..179147b271 100644
--- a/nipype/interfaces/freesurfer/utils.py
+++ b/nipype/interfaces/freesurfer/utils.py
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ class SampleToSurfaceInputSpec(FSTraitedSpec):
     subject_id = traits.String(desc="subject id")
     target_subject = traits.String(argstr="--trgsubject %s",
                                    desc="sample to surface of different subject than source")
-    surf_reg = traits.Bool(argstr="--surfreg", requires=["target_subject"],
-                           desc="use surface registration to target subject")
+    surf_reg = traits.String('sphere.reg', argstr="--surfreg %s", requires=["target_subject"],
+                             usedefault=True, desc="use surface registration to target subject")
     ico_order = traits.Int(argstr="--icoorder %d", requires=["target_subject"],
                            desc="icosahedron order when target_subject is 'ico'")