diff --git a/desktop/src/features/workflows/ui/workflowFormTypes.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/workflows/ui/workflowFormTypes.test.mjs
index 0e78e70d2..133d2ce59 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/workflows/ui/workflowFormTypes.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/workflows/ui/workflowFormTypes.test.mjs
@@ -1,7 +1,20 @@
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import test from "node:test";
 
-import { formStateToYaml, yamlToFormState } from "./workflowFormTypes.ts";
+import {
+  DEFAULT_FORM_STATE,
+  formStateToYaml,
+  TRIGGER_TYPES,
+  yamlToFormState,
+} from "./workflowFormTypes.ts";
+
+test("defaults new workflows to the first-listed schedule trigger", () => {
+  assert.equal(TRIGGER_TYPES[0], "schedule");
+  assert.deepEqual(DEFAULT_FORM_STATE.trigger, {
+    on: "schedule",
+    cron: "0 9 * * *",
+  });
+});
 
 test("keeps workflows with step conditions in the YAML editor", () => {
   const result = yamlToFormState(`name: conditional_step
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/workflows/ui/workflowFormTypes.ts b/desktop/src/features/workflows/ui/workflowFormTypes.ts
index c7c34b4fc..131d86239 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/workflows/ui/workflowFormTypes.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/workflows/ui/workflowFormTypes.ts
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@ import {
   formatDurationSeconds,
   parseDurationSeconds,
 } from "./workflowDuration";
+import { defaultScheduleTrigger } from "./workflowSchedule";
 
 export const TRIGGER_TYPES = [
+  "schedule",
   "message_posted",
   "reaction_added",
   "diff_posted",
   "webhook",
-  "schedule",
 ] as const;
 export type TriggerType = (typeof TRIGGER_TYPES)[number];
 
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_FORM_STATE: WorkflowFormState = {
   name: "",
   description: "",
   enabled: true,
-  trigger: { on: "message_posted" },
+  trigger: defaultScheduleTrigger(),
   steps: [],
 };