diff --git a/frappy_psi/superfrappy/__init__.py b/frappy_psi/superfrappy/__init__.py
index b6ed4ba0..1f7d73d3 100644
--- a/frappy_psi/superfrappy/__init__.py
+++ b/frappy_psi/superfrappy/__init__.py
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ class SuperFrappy(HasIO, Readable):
     marcheport = Property('marche port number', porttype, default=8124)
     is_main_instrument = Property('this is the main instrument', BoolType(), default=True)
     value = Parameter('running servers', ArrayOf(secnodetype), default=())
-    instance = Parameter('"main" or <instrument>', StringType())
+    instance = Parameter('"this" or <instrument>', StringType())
     nicos_setups = Parameter('active nicos se setups', ArrayOf(StringType()))
     _marche = None
     _secnodes = None  # dict <host_post> of SecNode
diff --git a/frappy_psi/superfrappy/marche_frappy.py b/frappy_psi/superfrappy/marche_frappy.py
index 3453f031..5495374f 100644
--- a/frappy_psi/superfrappy/marche_frappy.py
+++ b/frappy_psi/superfrappy/marche_frappy.py
@@ -150,9 +150,9 @@ class FrappyMarche(MarcheControl):
             section = dict(parser['superfrappy'])
         except KeyError:
             raise ValueError(f'bad config {gencfg}')
-        self.instance = instance  # 'main' or an instrument on a generic computer
+        self.instance = instance  # 'this' or an instrument on a generic computer
         instrument = section.get('instrument', instance)
-        if instrument == 'main':
+        if instrument == 'this':
             instrument = socket.gethostname().split('.')[0]
         print(instance, instrument)
         self.instrument = instrument  # the instrument name