diff --git a/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/config_test.go b/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/config_test.go
index dfe63d15a..3322f206e 100644
--- a/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/config_test.go
+++ b/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/config_test.go
@@ -19,16 +19,18 @@ import (
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/config/configgrpc"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/config/configopaque"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/config/configtls"
-	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/confmap"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/confmap/confmaptest"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/exporter/exporterhelper"
 )
 
 func TestUnmarshalDefaultConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	cm, err := confmaptest.LoadConf(filepath.Join("testdata", "default.yaml"))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	factory := NewFactory()
 	cfg := factory.CreateDefaultConfig()
-	assert.NoError(t, component.UnmarshalConfig(confmap.New(), cfg))
+	assert.NoError(t, component.UnmarshalConfig(cm, cfg))
 	assert.Equal(t, factory.CreateDefaultConfig(), cfg)
+	assert.Equal(t, "round_robin", cfg.(*Config).GRPCClientSettings.BalancerName)
 }
 
 func TestUnmarshalConfig(t *testing.T) {
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ func TestUnmarshalConfig(t *testing.T) {
 					Timeout:             30 * time.Second,
 				},
 				WriteBufferSize: 512 * 1024,
-				BalancerName:    "round_robin",
+				BalancerName:    "experimental",
 				Auth:            &configauth.Authentication{AuthenticatorID: component.NewID("nop")},
 			},
 			Arrow: ArrowSettings{
diff --git a/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/factory.go b/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/factory.go
index 82d6bcb08..66ae50292 100644
--- a/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/factory.go
+++ b/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/factory.go
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@ func createDefaultConfig() component.Config {
 			Compression: configcompression.Zstd,
 			// We almost read 0 bytes, so no need to tune ReadBufferSize.
 			WriteBufferSize: 512 * 1024,
+			// The `configgrpc` default is pick_first,
+			// which is not great for OTel Arrow exporters
+			// because it concentrates load at a single
+			// destination.
+			BalancerName: "round_robin",
 		},
 		Arrow: ArrowSettings{
 			NumStreams:        runtime.NumCPU(),
diff --git a/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/testdata/config.yaml b/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/testdata/config.yaml
index 0a5794a72..760a4a973 100644
--- a/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/testdata/config.yaml
+++ b/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/testdata/config.yaml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ keepalive:
   time: 20s
   timeout: 30s
   permit_without_stream: true
-balancer_name: "round_robin"
+balancer_name: "experimental"
 arrow:
   num_streams: 2
   disabled: false
diff --git a/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/testdata/default.yaml b/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/testdata/default.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..458203eae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collector/exporter/otelarrowexporter/testdata/default.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# when nothing is set