diff --git a/firedrake/eigensolver.py b/firedrake/eigensolver.py
index bb8a11a5ab..568536e9a6 100644
--- a/firedrake/eigensolver.py
+++ b/firedrake/eigensolver.py
@@ -142,9 +142,10 @@ class LinearEigensolver(OptionsManager):
         "eps_largest_real": None
     """
 
-    DEFAULT_EPS_PARAMETERS = {"eps_type": "krylovschur",
-                              "eps_tol": 1e-10,
-                              "eps_target": 0.0}
+    DEFAULT_EPS_PARAMETERS = {
+        "eps_type": "krylovschur",
+        "eps_tol": 1e-10,
+    }
 
     def __init__(self, problem, n_evals, *, options_prefix=None,
                  solver_parameters=None, ncv=None, mpd=None):
@@ -158,8 +159,6 @@ def __init__(self, problem, n_evals, *, options_prefix=None,
         for key in self.DEFAULT_EPS_PARAMETERS:
             value = self.DEFAULT_EPS_PARAMETERS[key]
             solver_parameters.setdefault(key, value)
-        if self._problem.bcs:
-            solver_parameters.setdefault("st_type", "sinvert")
         super().__init__(solver_parameters, options_prefix)
         self.set_from_options(self.es)
 
diff --git a/tests/firedrake/regression/test_eigensolver.py b/tests/firedrake/regression/test_eigensolver.py
index f4065083bd..1f34a3e72d 100644
--- a/tests/firedrake/regression/test_eigensolver.py
+++ b/tests/firedrake/regression/test_eigensolver.py
@@ -20,10 +20,13 @@ def evals(n, degree=1, mesh=None, restrict=False):
     bc = DirichletBC(V, 0.0, "on_boundary")
     eigenprob = LinearEigenproblem(a, bcs=bc, bc_shift=-6666., restrict=restrict)
 
-    # Create corresponding eigensolver, looking for n eigenvalues
-    eigensolver = LinearEigensolver(
-        eigenprob, n, solver_parameters={"eps_largest_real": None}
-    )
+    # Create corresponding eigensolver, looking for n eigenvalues close to 0
+    # We use shift-and-invert as spectral transform (SLEPc's default is shift)
+    solver_parameters = {
+        "eps_target": 0,
+        "st_type": "sinvert",
+    }
+    eigensolver = LinearEigensolver(eigenprob, n, solver_parameters=solver_parameters)
     ncov = eigensolver.solve()
 
     # boffi solns
@@ -67,8 +70,12 @@ def poisson_eigenvalue_2d(i):
     ep = LinearEigenproblem(inner(grad(u), grad(v)) * dx,
                             bcs=bc, bc_shift=666.0)
 
-    es = LinearEigensolver(ep, 1, solver_parameters={"eps_gen_hermitian": None,
-                                                     "eps_largest_real": None})
+    solver_parameters = {
+        "eps_gen_hermitian": None,
+        "eps_target": 0,
+        "st_type": "sinvert",
+    }
+    es = LinearEigensolver(ep, 1, solver_parameters=solver_parameters)
 
     es.solve()
     return es.eigenvalue(0)-2.0
@@ -77,7 +84,7 @@ def poisson_eigenvalue_2d(i):
 @pytest.mark.skipslepc
 def test_evals_2d():
     """2D Eigenvalue convergence test. As with Boffi, we observe that the
-    convergence rate convergest to 2 from above."""
+    convergence rate converges to 2 from above."""
     errors = np.array([poisson_eigenvalue_2d(i) for i in range(5)])
 
     convergence = np.log(errors[:-1]/errors[1:])/np.log(2.0)