diff --git a/cmd/keeper/config.md b/cmd/keeper/config.md
index 65e7791ff..5895aec32 100644
--- a/cmd/keeper/config.md
+++ b/cmd/keeper/config.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ The following configuration fields are available:
 * `status_update_period`: The field specifies how often Tide will update GitHub status contexts.
    Defaults to the value of `sync_period`.
 * `queries`: List of queries (described below).
+* `default_merge_method`: The default merge type for lighthouse to use, and the merge_method list will override this. Defaults to "merge"
 * `merge_method`: A key/value pair of an `org/repo` as the key and merge method to override
    the default method of merge as value. Valid options are `squash`, `rebase`, and `merge`.
    Defaults to `merge`.
diff --git a/pkg/config/keeper/config.go b/pkg/config/keeper/config.go
index 29449a8ee..97d5091db 100644
--- a/pkg/config/keeper/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/keeper/config.go
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	// Queries represents a list of GitHub search queries that collectively
 	// specify the set of PRs that meet merge requirements.
 	Queries Queries `json:"queries,omitempty"`
+	// The default merge type for lighthouse to use, and the merge_method list will override this. Defaults to "merge"
+	DefaultMergeType PullRequestMergeType `json:"default_merge_method,omitempty"`
 	// A key/value pair of an org/repo as the key and merge method to override
 	// the default method of merge. Valid options are squash, rebase, and merge.
 	MergeType map[string]PullRequestMergeType `json:"merge_method,omitempty"`
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ func (c *Config) MergeMethod(org, repo string) PullRequestMergeType {
 			return ov
 		}
 
-		return MergeMerge
+		return c.DefaultMergeType
 	}
 
 	return v
@@ -128,6 +130,9 @@ func (c *Config) MergeCommitTemplate(org, repo string) MergeCommitTemplate {
 
 // Parse initializes and validates the Config
 func (c *Config) Parse() error {
+	if c.DefaultMergeType == "" {
+		c.DefaultMergeType = MergeMerge
+	}
 	if c.SyncPeriodString == "" {
 		c.SyncPeriod = time.Minute
 	} else {
diff --git a/pkg/config/lighthouse/config.go b/pkg/config/lighthouse/config.go
index 45616f7ae..f96ae9dd6 100644
--- a/pkg/config/lighthouse/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/lighthouse/config.go
@@ -38,18 +38,18 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	// TODO: Move this out of the main config.
 	Jenkinses []JenkinsConfig `json:"jenkinses,omitempty"`
-	// LighthouseJobNamespace is the namespace in the cluster that prow
+	// LighthouseJobNamespace is the namespace in the cluster that lighthouse
 	// components will use for looking up LighthouseJobs. The namespace
-	// needs to exist and will not be created by prow.
+	// needs to exist and will not be created by lighthouse.
 	// Defaults to "default".
 	LighthouseJobNamespace string `json:"prowjob_namespace,omitempty"`
-	// PodNamespace is the namespace in the cluster that prow
+	// PodNamespace is the namespace in the cluster that lighthouse
 	// components will use for looking up Pods owned by LighthouseJobs.
-	// The namespace needs to exist and will not be created by prow.
+	// The namespace needs to exist and will not be created by lighthouse.
 	// Defaults to "default".
 	PodNamespace string `json:"pod_namespace,omitempty"`
 	// LogLevel enables dynamically updating the log level of the
-	// standard logger that is used by all prow components.
+	// standard logger that is used by all lighthouse components.
 	//
 	// Valid values:
 	//
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	OwnersDirExcludes *OwnersDirExcludes `json:"owners_dir_excludes,omitempty"`
 	// Pub/Sub Subscriptions that we want to listen to
 	PubSubSubscriptions PubsubSubscriptions `json:"pubsub_subscriptions,omitempty"`
-	// GitHubOptions allows users to control how prow applications display GitHub website links.
+	// GitHubOptions allows users to control how lighthouse applications display GitHub website links.
 	GitHubOptions GitHubOptions `json:"github,omitempty"`
 	// ProviderConfig contains optional SCM provider information
 	ProviderConfig *ProviderConfig `json:"providerConfig,omitempty"`
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func (c *Config) Parse() error {
 
 // InRepoConfig to enable configuration inside the source code of a repository
 //
-// this struct mirrors the similar struct inside prow
+// this struct mirrors the similar struct inside lighthouse
 type InRepoConfig struct {
 	// Enabled describes whether InRepoConfig is enabled for a given repository. This can
 	// be set globally, per org or per repo using '*', 'org' or 'org/repo' as key. The