diff --git a/lib/fbe/pmp.rb b/lib/fbe/pmp.rb
index 709ea1bf..29b5c879 100644
--- a/lib/fbe/pmp.rb
+++ b/lib/fbe/pmp.rb
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def initialize(value, default, type, memo)
       raise(ArgumentError, "#{value} is not a whole number") unless (f % 1).zero?
       Integer(f)
     end
-  query = ->(area) { fb.query("(and (eq what 'pmp') (eq area '#{area}'))") }
+  query = ->(area) { fb.query("(and (eq what 'pmp') (eq area '#{area.gsub("'", "\\\\'")}'))") }
   owner = ->(area, param) { query.call(area).each.find { |f| !f[param].nil? } }
   Class.new do
     define_method(:areas) do
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def initialize(value, default, type, memo)
     end
     others do |*args1| # rubocop:disable Metrics/BlockLength
       area = args1.first.to_s
-      node = xml.at_xpath("/pmp/area[@name='#{area}']")
+      node = xml.at_xpath('/pmp/area[@name=$name]', nil, 'name' => area)
       if node.nil?
         Class.new do
           define_method(:properties) do
diff --git a/lib/fbe/regularly.rb b/lib/fbe/regularly.rb
index 894796b1..088037ed 100644
--- a/lib/fbe/regularly.rb
+++ b/lib/fbe/regularly.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 require 'tago'
 require_relative '../fbe'
 require_relative 'fb'
+require_relative 'pmp'
 
 # Run the block provided every X days based on PMP configuration.
 #
@@ -14,11 +15,13 @@
 # Creates a fact recording when the judge was last run.
 #
 # @param [String] area The name of the PMP area
-# @param [String] p_every_days PMP property name for interval (defaults to 7 days if not in PMP)
-# @param [String] p_since_days PMP property name for since period (defaults to 28 days if not in PMP)
+# @param [String] p_every_days PMP property name for interval (defaults to the pmp.xml value, or 7 days)
+# @param [String] p_since_days PMP property name for since period (defaults to the pmp.xml value, or 28 days)
 # @param [Factbase] fb The factbase (defaults to Fbe.fb)
 # @param [String] judge The name of the judge (uses $judge global)
 # @param [Loog] loog The logging facility (uses $loog global)
+# @param [Hash] global Hash of global options (uses $global), needed to read pmp.xml defaults
+# @param [Judges::Options] options The options (uses $options), needed to read pmp.xml defaults
 # @yield [Factbase::Fact] Fact to populate with judge execution details
 # @return [nil] Nothing
 # @raise [Fbe::Error] If required parameters or globals are nil
@@ -29,14 +32,23 @@
 #     f.total_cleaned = cleanup_old_records
 #     # PMP might have: days_between_cleanups=3, cleanup_history_days=30
 #   end
-def Fbe.regularly(area, p_every_days, p_since_days = nil, fb: Fbe.fb, judge: $judge, loog: $loog, &)
+def Fbe.regularly( # rubocop:disable Metrics/AbcSize
+  area, p_every_days, p_since_days = nil,
+  fb: Fbe.fb, judge: $judge, loog: $loog, global: $global, options: $options, &
+)
   { 'area' => area, 'p_every_days' => p_every_days, 'fb' => fb }.each do |name, value|
     raise(Fbe::Error, "The #{name} is nil") if value.nil?
   end
   raise(Fbe::Error, 'The $judge is not set') if judge.nil?
   raise(Fbe::Error, 'The $loog is not set') if loog.nil?
   pmp = fb.query("(and (eq what 'pmp') (eq area '#{area.gsub("'", "\\\\'")}'))").each.to_a
-  interval = pmp.filter_map { |f| f[p_every_days]&.first }.first || 7
+  default =
+    lambda do |prop, value|
+      Fbe.pmp(fb:, global:, options:, loog:).public_send(area).public_send(prop)
+    rescue Fbe::Error
+      value
+    end
+  interval = pmp.filter_map { |f| f[p_every_days]&.first }.first || default.call(p_every_days, 7)
   recent = fb.query(
     "(and
       (eq what 'regularly')
@@ -57,7 +69,7 @@ def Fbe.regularly(area, p_every_days, p_since_days = nil, fb: Fbe.fb, judge: $ju
     f.judge = judge
     f.when = Time.now
     unless p_since_days.nil?
-      days = pmp.filter_map { |f| f[p_since_days]&.first }.first || 28
+      days = pmp.filter_map { |f| f[p_since_days]&.first }.first || default.call(p_since_days, 28)
       since = Time.now - (days * 24 * 60 * 60)
       f.since = since
     end
diff --git a/test/fbe/test_regularly.rb b/test/fbe/test_regularly.rb
index c8d28002..2aac1fd3 100644
--- a/test/fbe/test_regularly.rb
+++ b/test/fbe/test_regularly.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 require 'factbase'
+require 'judges/options'
 require 'loog'
 require_relative '../../lib/fbe/regularly'
 require_relative '../test__helper'
@@ -116,4 +117,20 @@ def test_judge_with_single_quote
     end
     assert_equal(2, fb.size)
   end
+
+  def test_uses_the_pmp_xml_default_when_no_area_fact_exists
+    $global = {}
+    $options = Judges::Options.new
+    fb = Factbase.new
+    Fbe.regularly('integration', 'eva_interval', fb:, loog: Loog::NULL, judge: 'test') do |f|
+      f.foo = 42
+    end
+    ran = false
+    Time.stub(:now, Time.now + (8 * 24 * 60 * 60)) do
+      Fbe.regularly('integration', 'eva_interval', fb:, loog: Loog::NULL, judge: 'test') do |_f|
+        ran = true
+      end
+    end
+    refute(ran, 'the judge ran again 8 days later, while pmp.xml says eva_interval is 10')
+  end
 end