diff --git a/.github/workflows/macos-release.yml b/.github/workflows/macos-release.yml
index 817c7d4..1bc3aaa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/macos-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/macos-release.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
       release_tag:
         description: Existing GitHub release tag to receive the macOS files
         required: true
-        default: v2.0.0-alpha.29
+        default: v2.0.0-alpha.30
   push:
     tags:
       - 'v*'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows-release.yml b/.github/workflows/windows-release.yml
index f73039b..4ea694a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows-release.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
       release_tag:
         description: Existing GitHub release tag to receive the Windows installer
         required: true
-        default: v2.0.0-alpha.29
+        default: v2.0.0-alpha.30
   push:
     tags:
       - 'v*'
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index f70c5d6..bffec0d 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "aurora-dockside",
-  "version": "2.0.0-alpha.29",
+  "version": "2.0.0-alpha.30",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "aurora-dockside",
-      "version": "2.0.0-alpha.29",
+      "version": "2.0.0-alpha.30",
       "hasInstallScript": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "@electron-toolkit/preload": "^3.0.2",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f5b03db..55d84f5 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "aurora-dockside",
-  "version": "2.0.0-alpha.29",
+  "version": "2.0.0-alpha.30",
   "description": "A modern, modular Docker development platform for building, running, and managing web applications locally.",
   "desktopName": "aurora-dockside.desktop",
   "main": "./out/main/index.js",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.test.tsx
index 7c3443c..c534999 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.test.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.test.tsx
@@ -16,14 +16,39 @@ const wordpress: AuroraModuleManifest = {
   aurora: { core: '2.0.0-alpha.24', moduleApi: '1.0.0' }
 }
 
-function renderModal(modules: AuroraModuleManifest[]): { queryClient: QueryClient } {
+function renderModal(
+  modules: AuroraModuleManifest[],
+  nativeAvailable = false
+): { queryClient: QueryClient } {
   vi.stubGlobal('api', {
     modules: { listRegistry: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(modules) },
+    runtime: {
+      status: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+        selectedEngine: nativeAvailable ? 'native' : 'container',
+        container: { available: false, provider: null },
+        native: {
+          available: nativeAvailable,
+          platform: 'win32',
+          arch: 'x64',
+          runtimeVersion: nativeAvailable ? '0.1.0' : undefined,
+          components: nativeAvailable
+            ? [{ id: 'php', version: '8.5.9', executable: 'php.exe', sha256: 'a'.repeat(64) }]
+            : []
+        }
+      })
+    },
     create: { pickDirectory: vi.fn(), project: vi.fn() },
-    terminal: { onData: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(() => {}), onExit: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(() => {}) }
+    terminal: {
+      onData: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(() => {}),
+      onExit: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(() => {})
+    }
   })
   const queryClient = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false } } })
-  render(<QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}><CreateProjectModal onClose={vi.fn()} /></QueryClientProvider>)
+  render(
+    <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
+      <CreateProjectModal onClose={vi.fn()} />
+    </QueryClientProvider>
+  )
   return { queryClient }
 }
 
@@ -41,4 +66,11 @@ describe('external application choices', () => {
     await waitFor(() => expect(screen.queryByText('WordPress')).not.toBeInTheDocument())
     expect(screen.getByText('No application modules installed')).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
+
+  it('defaults to Aurora Native when the bundled runtime is ready', async () => {
+    renderModal([wordpress], true)
+    const native = await screen.findByRole('button', { name: /Aurora Native/i })
+    await waitFor(() => expect(native.className).toContain('border-cyan-400'))
+    expect(screen.getByLabelText('PHP')).toHaveValue('8.5')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.tsx
index c30ef58..658ece6 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useRef, useState } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import { clsx } from 'clsx'
 import {
   ArrowLeft,
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ export function CreateProjectModal({ onClose }: { onClose: () => void }): React.
   const createProject = useCreateProject()
   const selectProject = useAppStore((s) => s.selectProject)
   const setupRef = useRef<TypeSetupHandle>(null)
+  const runtimeChoiceMade = useRef(false)
   const { data: moduleRegistry = [] } = useModuleRegistry()
   const { data: runtimeStatus } = useRuntimeStatus()
   const applicationModules = moduleRegistry.filter((module) => module.category === 'application')
@@ -68,8 +69,27 @@ export function CreateProjectModal({ onClose }: { onClose: () => void }): React.
   const canContinue = directory !== null && nameValid && selectedModule !== undefined
   const canSubmit = canContinue && setupValid && !isSubmitting
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!runtimeStatus || runtimeChoiceMade.current) return
+    runtimeChoiceMade.current = true
+    if (!runtimeStatus.native.available) return
+    setRuntimeEngine('native')
+    const nativePhp = runtimeStatus.native.components.find(
+      (component) => component.id === 'php'
+    )?.version
+    if (nativePhp) setPhpVersion(nativePhp.split('.').slice(0, 2).join('.'))
+    setWebServer('nginx')
+    setDatabase('mariadb')
+    setDatabaseVersion('11.8')
+    setAdminer(true)
+    setRedis(false)
+    setMailpit(false)
+    setXdebug(false)
+  }, [runtimeStatus])
+
   function selectRuntimeEngine(engine: 'container' | 'native'): void {
     if (engine === 'native' && !runtimeStatus?.native.available) return
+    runtimeChoiceMade.current = true
     setRuntimeEngine(engine)
     if (engine === 'native') {
       const nativePhp = runtimeStatus?.native.components.find(
@@ -376,8 +396,11 @@ export function CreateProjectModal({ onClose }: { onClose: () => void }): React.
                     </div>
                     <div className="grid gap-3 sm:grid-cols-2">
                       <div>
-                        <label className={labelClass}>PHP</label>
+                        <label htmlFor="project-php-version" className={labelClass}>
+                          PHP
+                        </label>
                         <select
+                          id="project-php-version"
                           className={fieldClass}
                           value={phpVersion}
                           onChange={(e) => setPhpVersion(e.target.value)}