diff --git a/amplitude-estimation/qiskit/ae_benchmark.py b/amplitude-estimation/qiskit/ae_benchmark.py
index 46c06615..47064d0c 100644
--- a/amplitude-estimation/qiskit/ae_benchmark.py
+++ b/amplitude-estimation/qiskit/ae_benchmark.py
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ def a_from_s_int(s_int, num_counting_qubits):
 # Execute program with default parameters
 def run(min_qubits=3, max_qubits=8, skip_qubits=1, max_circuits=3, num_shots=100,
         num_state_qubits=1, # default, not exposed to users
-        backend_id='qasm_simulator', provider_backend=None,
+        backend_id=None, provider_backend=None,
         hub="ibm-q", group="open", project="main", exec_options=None,
         context=None):
 
diff --git a/deutsch-jozsa/qiskit/dj_benchmark.py b/deutsch-jozsa/qiskit/dj_benchmark.py
index 93e6e74d..fd607bf6 100644
--- a/deutsch-jozsa/qiskit/dj_benchmark.py
+++ b/deutsch-jozsa/qiskit/dj_benchmark.py
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def analyze_and_print_result (qc, result, num_qubits, type, num_shots):
 
 # Execute program with default parameters
 def run (min_qubits=3, max_qubits=8, skip_qubits=1, max_circuits=3, num_shots=100,
-        backend_id='qasm_simulator', provider_backend=None,
+        backend_id=None, provider_backend=None,
         hub="ibm-q", group="open", project="main", exec_options=None,
         context=None):
 
diff --git a/hhl/qiskit/hhl_benchmark.py b/hhl/qiskit/hhl_benchmark.py
index ff56f3f5..333dfa7b 100644
--- a/hhl/qiskit/hhl_benchmark.py
+++ b/hhl/qiskit/hhl_benchmark.py
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ def analyze_and_print_result (qc, result, num_qubits, s_int, num_shots):
 
 def run (min_qubits=3, max_qubits=6, skip_qubits=1, max_circuits=3, num_shots=100,
         method = 1, use_best_widths=True, min_register_qubits=1,
-        backend_id='qasm_simulator', provider_backend=None,
+        backend_id=None, provider_backend=None,
         hub="ibm-q", group="open", project="main", exec_options=None,
         context=None):  
 
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ def run2 (min_input_qubits=1, max_input_qubits=3, skip_qubits=1,
         min_clock_qubits=1, max_clock_qubits=3,
         max_circuits=3, num_shots=100,
         method=2, use_best_widths=False, min_register_qubits=1,
-        backend_id='qasm_simulator', provider_backend=None,
+        backend_id=None, provider_backend=None,
         hub="ibm-q", group="open", project="main", exec_options=None,
         context=None):  
     
diff --git a/maxcut/qiskit/auxiliary_functions.py b/maxcut/qiskit/auxiliary_functions.py
index 9cf9fc94..91d6128f 100644
--- a/maxcut/qiskit/auxiliary_functions.py
+++ b/maxcut/qiskit/auxiliary_functions.py
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ def plot_worst_best_init_conditions(worst_dict, best_dict):
 
 
 def radar_plot(min_qubits=4, max_qubits=6, num_shots=1000, restarts=10, objective_func_type='approx_ratio',
-               rounds=1, degree=3, backend_id='qasm_simulator', provider_backend=None,
+               rounds=1, degree=3, backend_id=None, provider_backend=None,
                hub="ibm-q", group="open", project="main", exec_options=None,
                ):
 
diff --git a/maxcut/qiskit/maxcut_benchmark.py b/maxcut/qiskit/maxcut_benchmark.py
index 4c6a4502..312c69fe 100644
--- a/maxcut/qiskit/maxcut_benchmark.py
+++ b/maxcut/qiskit/maxcut_benchmark.py
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@ def run (min_qubits=3, max_qubits=6, skip_qubits=2,
         fixed_metrics={}, num_x_bins=15, y_size=None, x_size=None, use_fixed_angles=False,
         objective_func_type = 'approx_ratio', plot_results = True,
         save_res_to_file = False, save_final_counts = False, detailed_save_names = False, comfort=False,
-        backend_id='qasm_simulator', provider_backend=None, eta=0.5,
+        backend_id=None, provider_backend=None, eta=0.5,
         hub="ibm-q", group="open", project="main", exec_options=None,
         context=None,
         _instances=None):
diff --git a/monte-carlo/qiskit/mc_benchmark.py b/monte-carlo/qiskit/mc_benchmark.py
index 50c8f161..7b5b8101 100644
--- a/monte-carlo/qiskit/mc_benchmark.py
+++ b/monte-carlo/qiskit/mc_benchmark.py
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ def expectation_from_bits(bits, num_qubits, num_shots, method):
 # Execute program with default parameters
 def run(min_qubits=MIN_QUBITS, max_qubits=10, skip_qubits=1, max_circuits=1, num_shots=100,
         epsilon=0.05, degree=2, num_state_qubits=MIN_STATE_QUBITS, method = 2, # default, not exposed to users
-        backend_id='qasm_simulator', provider_backend=None,
+        backend_id=None, provider_backend=None,
         hub="ibm-q", group="open", project="main", exec_options=None,
         context=None):
 
diff --git a/shors/qiskit/shors_benchmark.py b/shors/qiskit/shors_benchmark.py
index a7d10585..d85c0dc4 100644
--- a/shors/qiskit/shors_benchmark.py
+++ b/shors/qiskit/shors_benchmark.py
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ def analyze_and_print_result(qc, result, num_qubits, order, num_shots, method):
 
 # Execute program with default parameters
 def run (min_qubits=3, max_circuits=1, max_qubits=18, num_shots=100, method = 1,
-        verbose=verbose, backend_id='statevector_sampler', provider_backend=None,
+        verbose=verbose, backend_id=None, provider_backend=None,
         hub="ibm-q", group="open", project="main", exec_options=None,
         context=None):