diff --git a/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/ConfigurationProviderImpl.java b/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/ConfigurationProviderImpl.java
index e60d5ac8e..85fd47057 100644
--- a/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/ConfigurationProviderImpl.java
+++ b/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/ConfigurationProviderImpl.java
@@ -354,10 +354,12 @@ public class ConfigurationProviderImpl
             _info = new PersistenceUnitInfoImpl();
             _info.setPersistenceUnitName(attrs.getValue("name"));
 
-            // default is JTA according to spec
+            // we only parse this ourselves outside a container, so default
+            // transaction type to local
             String val = attrs.getValue("transaction-type");
             if (val == null)
-                _info.setTransactionType(PersistenceUnitTransactionType.JTA);
+                _info.setTransactionType
+                    (PersistenceUnitTransactionType.RESOURCE_LOCAL);
             else
                 _info.setTransactionType(Enum.valueOf
                     (PersistenceUnitTransactionType.class, val));