diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/storage/localfilesystem/projects/Project.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/storage/localfilesystem/projects/Project.js
index 0fbf89de4..6cc98049a 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/storage/localfilesystem/projects/Project.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/storage/localfilesystem/projects/Project.js
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ Project.prototype.update = function (user, data) {
     }
     return when.settle(promises).then(function(res) {
         var gitSettings = getUserGitSettings(user) || {};
-        var workflowMode = (gitSettings.workflow||{}).mode || "manual";
+        var workflowMode = (gitSettings.workflow||{}).mode || settings.editorTheme.projects.workflow.mode;
         if (workflowMode === 'auto') {
             return project.stageFile(modifiedFiles.map(f => project.paths[f])).then(() => {
                 return project.commit(user,{message:"Update "+modifiedFiles.join(", ")})
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/storage/localfilesystem/projects/index.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/storage/localfilesystem/projects/index.js
index 5e1d4f15b..2f2990e08 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/storage/localfilesystem/projects/index.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/storage/localfilesystem/projects/index.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ var projectsEnabled = false;
 var projectLogMessages = [];
 
 var projectsDir;
-var activeProject
+var activeProject;
 
 var globalGitUser = false;
 
@@ -107,6 +107,10 @@ function init(_settings, _runtime) {
                     } catch(err) {
                     }
                 } else {
+                    // Ensure there's a default workflow mode set
+                    settings.editorTheme.projects.workflow = {
+                        mode: (settings.editorTheme.projects.workflow || {}).mode || "manual"
+                    }
                     globalGitUser = gitConfig.user;
                     Projects.init(settings,runtime);
                     sshTools.init(settings);
@@ -576,7 +580,7 @@ function saveFlows(flows, user) {
     }
     return util.writeFile(flowsFullPath, flowData, flowsFileBackup).then(() => {
         var gitSettings = getUserGitSettings(user) || {};
-        var workflowMode = (gitSettings.workflow||{}).mode || "manual";
+        var workflowMode = (gitSettings.workflow||{}).mode || settings.editorTheme.projects.workflow.mode;
         if (activeProject && workflowMode === 'auto') {
             return activeProject.stageFile([flowsFullPath, credentialsFile]).then(() => {
                 return activeProject.commit(user,{message:"Update flow files"})