diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/projectUserSettings.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/projectUserSettings.js
index 31acbc1e4..7ca13a3cf 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/projectUserSettings.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/projectUserSettings.js
@@ -43,9 +43,11 @@ RED.projects.userSettings = (function() {
 
     function createWorkflowSection(pane) {
 
+        var defaultWorkflowMode = RED.settings.theme("projects.workflow.mode","manual");
+
         var currentGitSettings = RED.settings.get('git') || {};
         currentGitSettings.workflow = currentGitSettings.workflow || {};
-        currentGitSettings.workflow.mode = currentGitSettings.workflow.mode || "manual";
+        currentGitSettings.workflow.mode = currentGitSettings.workflow.mode || defaultWorkflowMode;
 
         var title = $('<h3></h3>').text(RED._("editor:sidebar.project.userSettings.workflow")).appendTo(pane);
 
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/tab-versionControl.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/tab-versionControl.js
index 8aede9c2b..5512926be 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/tab-versionControl.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/tab-versionControl.js
@@ -294,7 +294,10 @@ RED.sidebar.versionControl = (function() {
                 // TODO: this is a full refresh of the files - should be able to
                 //       just do an incremental refresh
 
-                var workflowMode = ((RED.settings.get('git') || {}).workflow || {}).mode || "manual";
+                // Get the default workflow mode from theme settings
+                var defaultWorkflowMode = RED.settings.theme("projects.workflow.mode","manual");
+                // Check for the user-defined choice of mode
+                var workflowMode = ((RED.settings.get('git') || {}).workflow || {}).mode || defaultWorkflowMode;
                 if (workflowMode === 'auto') {
                     refresh(true);
                 } else {
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 d87001f1f..060a71227 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 = async function (user, data) {
     }
     return Promise.all(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 3bbeb823b..8ddd61232 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
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ var projectsEnabled = false;
 var projectLogMessages = [];
 
 var projectsDir;
-var activeProject
+var activeProject;
 
 var globalGitUser = false;
 
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ 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);
@@ -574,11 +578,13 @@ async function saveFlows(flows, user) {
     }
     return util.writeFile(flowsFullPath, flowData, flowsFileBackup).then(() => {
         var gitSettings = getUserGitSettings(user) || {};
-        var workflowMode = (gitSettings.workflow||{}).mode || "manual";
-        if (activeProject && workflowMode === 'auto') {
-            return activeProject.stageFile([flowsFullPath, credentialsFile]).then(() => {
-                return activeProject.commit(user,{message:"Update flow files"})
-            })
+        if (activeProject) {
+            var workflowMode = (gitSettings.workflow||{}).mode || settings.editorTheme.projects.workflow.mode;
+            if (workflowMode === 'auto') {
+                return activeProject.stageFile([flowsFullPath, credentialsFile]).then(() => {
+                    return activeProject.commit(user,{message:"Update flow files"})
+                })
+            }
         }
     });
 }
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/node-red/settings.js b/packages/node_modules/node-red/settings.js
index deedd726d..7d5643ecd 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/node-red/settings.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/node-red/settings.js
@@ -292,7 +292,15 @@ module.exports = {
     editorTheme: {
         projects: {
             // To enable the Projects feature, set this value to true
-            enabled: false
+            enabled: false,
+            workflow: {
+                // Set the default projects workflow mode.
+                //  - manual - you must manually commit changes
+                //  - auto - changes are automatically committed
+                // This can be overridden per-user from the 'Git config'
+                // section of 'User Settings' within the editor
+                mode: "manual"
+            }
         }
     }
 }