A magnetoresistive sensor having a free layer biased by an in stack bias layer that has a magnetic moment canted with respect to the ABS, such that the magnetic moment of the biasing layer has a longitudinal component in a direction parallel with the ABS and a component in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the ABS. The transverse component of the bias layer moment creates a balancing field in the free layer that counterbalances the coupling field in the free layer generated by the pinned layer. The counterbalance field provided by the canted moment of the biasing layer is especially useful in a tunnel valve sensor, because the very thin barrier layer of the tunnel valve design generates a strong coupling field in the free layer and this coupling field cannot be offset by a field from the sensor current.