diff --git a/plugins/client/groovy/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/groovy/util/xcontent/GXContentBuilder.groovy b/plugins/client/groovy/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/groovy/util/xcontent/GXContentBuilder.groovy
index 91de9af8f33..e9ee4d6eecc 100644
--- a/plugins/client/groovy/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/groovy/util/xcontent/GXContentBuilder.groovy
+++ b/plugins/client/groovy/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/groovy/util/xcontent/GXContentBuilder.groovy
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class GXContentBuilder {
 
     static NODE_ELEMENT = "element"
 
-    static int rootResolveStrategy = Closure.OWNER_FIRST; // the default
+    static int rootResolveStrategy = Closure.DELEGATE_FIRST; // the default
 
     def root