A spin valve sensor with a thin antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer exchange coupled to a self-pinned antiparallel coupled bias layer in the lead overlap regions is provided. The spin valve sensor comprises a ferromagnetic bias layer antiparallel coupled to a free layer in first and second passive regions where first and second lead layers overlap the spin valve sensor layers and a thin AFM layer exchange coupled to the bias layer to provide a pinning field to the bias layer.