diff --git a/python/obitools3/parsers/universal.pyx b/python/obitools3/parsers/universal.pyx
index 2aa0bb5..feb024f 100644
--- a/python/obitools3/parsers/universal.pyx
+++ b/python/obitools3/parsers/universal.pyx
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def entryIteratorFactory(lineiterator,
                   int skip=0,
                   only=None,
                   bytes seqtype=b'nuc',
-                  int qualityoffset=32,
+                  int qualityoffset=-1,
                   bint noquality=False,
                   bint skiperror=True,
                   bint header=False,