diff --git a/src/consensus/merkle.h b/src/consensus/merkle.h
index ac622602e7a..c722cbe446f 100644
--- a/src/consensus/merkle.h
+++ b/src/consensus/merkle.h
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ uint256 BlockWitnessMerkleRoot(const CBlock& block, bool* mutated = nullptr);
  * Compute merkle path to the specified transaction
  *
  * @param[in] block the block
- * @param[in] position transaction for which to calculate the merkle path, defaults to coinbase
+ * @param[in] position transaction for which to calculate the merkle path (0 is the coinbase)
  *
  * @return merkle path ordered from the deepest
  */
-std::vector<uint256> TransactionMerklePath(const CBlock& block, uint32_t position = 0);
+std::vector<uint256> TransactionMerklePath(const CBlock& block, uint32_t position);
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_CONSENSUS_MERKLE_H
diff --git a/src/node/interfaces.cpp b/src/node/interfaces.cpp
index 6c06620ed24..f2518298c0e 100644
--- a/src/node/interfaces.cpp
+++ b/src/node/interfaces.cpp
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@ public:
 
     std::vector<uint256> getCoinbaseMerklePath() override
     {
-        return TransactionMerklePath(m_block_template->block);
+        return TransactionMerklePath(m_block_template->block, 0);
     }
 
     bool submitSolution(uint32_t version, uint32_t timestamp, uint32_t nonce, CMutableTransaction coinbase) override