diff --git a/query/autocomplete_defaults.js b/query/autocomplete_defaults.js
index dbba5861..e6364173 100644
--- a/query/autocomplete_defaults.js
+++ b/query/autocomplete_defaults.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ module.exports = _.merge({}, peliasQuery.defaults, {
   'phrase:boost': 1,
   'phrase:slop': 3,
 
-  'focus:function': 'linear',
+  'focus:function': 'exp',
   'focus:offset': '0km',
   'focus:scale': '250km',
   'focus:decay': 0.5,
diff --git a/query/search_defaults.js b/query/search_defaults.js
index 92154ee8..3faf0e13 100644
--- a/query/search_defaults.js
+++ b/query/search_defaults.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ module.exports = _.merge({}, peliasQuery.defaults, {
   'phrase:boost': 1,
   'phrase:slop': 2,
 
-  'focus:function': 'linear',
+  'focus:function': 'exp',
   'focus:offset': '0km',
   'focus:scale': '50km',
   'focus:decay': 0.5,
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus.js b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus.js
index 2acc0e1d..4dd54d7c 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ module.exports = {
             }
           },
           'functions': [{
-            'linear': {
+            'exp': {
               'center_point': {
                 'origin': {
                   'lat': 29.49136,
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus_null_island.js b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
index d3029455..c623d272 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ module.exports = {
             }
           },
           'functions': [{
-            'linear': {
+            'exp': {
               'center_point': {
                 'origin': {
                   'lat': 0,
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus.js
index ac48702e..09584432 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ module.exports = {
       'functions': [
         {
           'weight': 2,
-          'linear': {
+          'exp': {
             'center_point': {
               'origin': {
                 'lat': 29.49136,
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox.js
index 0aed4961..9a4a6a88 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ module.exports = {
       'functions': [
         {
           'weight': 2,
-          'linear': {
+          'exp': {
             'center_point': {
               'origin': {
                 'lat': 29.49136,
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox_original.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox_original.js
index 43bea77d..cdf6eb8b 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox_original.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox_original.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ module.exports = {
             }
           },
           'functions': [{
-            'linear': {
+            'exp': {
               'center_point': {
                 'origin': {
                   'lat': 29.49136,
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
index 6ba7aa7d..e137a168 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ module.exports = {
       'functions': [
         {
           'weight': 2,
-          'linear': {
+          'exp': {
             'center_point': {
               'origin': {
                 'lat': 0,
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island_original.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island_original.js
index 06b598cc..b0c0e3f3 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island_original.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island_original.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ module.exports = {
             }
           },
           'functions': [{
-            'linear': {
+            'exp': {
               'center_point': {
                 'origin': {
                   'lat': 0,
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_original.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_original.js
index 9ece3b86..ac69ea68 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_original.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_original.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ module.exports = {
             }
           },
           'functions': [{
-            'linear': {
+            'exp': {
               'center_point': {
                 'origin': {
                   'lat': 29.49136,