diff --git a/changelog/17407.txt b/changelog/17407.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b0e5ae41c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/17407.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+ui/keymgmt: Sets the defaultValue for type when creating a key.
+```
diff --git a/ui/app/models/keymgmt/key.js b/ui/app/models/keymgmt/key.js
index e88c5ff70..ff570c215 100644
--- a/ui/app/models/keymgmt/key.js
+++ b/ui/app/models/keymgmt/key.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export default class KeymgmtKeyModel extends Model {
   @attr('string', {
     subText: 'The type of cryptographic key that will be created.',
     possibleValues: KEY_TYPES,
+    defaultValue: 'rsa-2048',
   })
   type;
 
diff --git a/ui/tests/integration/components/keymgmt/key-edit-test.js b/ui/tests/integration/components/keymgmt/key-edit-test.js
index b70101a18..0d67fffdf 100644
--- a/ui/tests/integration/components/keymgmt/key-edit-test.js
+++ b/ui/tests/integration/components/keymgmt/key-edit-test.js
@@ -75,4 +75,13 @@ module('Integration | Component | keymgmt/key-edit', function (hooks) {
     assert.dom('[data-test-tab="Details"]').doesNotExist('Details tab does not exist');
     assert.dom('[data-test-tab="Versions"]').doesNotExist('Versions tab does not exist');
   });
+
+  test('it defaults to keyType rsa-2048', async function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(1);
+    const store = this.owner.lookup('service:store');
+    this.model = store.createRecord('keymgmt/key');
+    this.set('mode', 'create');
+    await render(hbs`<Keymgmt::KeyEdit @model={{model}} @mode={{mode}} /><div id="modal-wormhole" />`);
+    assert.dom('[data-test-input="type"]').hasValue('rsa-2048', 'Has type rsa-2048 by default');
+  });
 });