diff --git a/lang/en/fieldtypes.php b/lang/en/fieldtypes.php
index 650448ef7a2..9c8001cc338 100644
--- a/lang/en/fieldtypes.php
+++ b/lang/en/fieldtypes.php
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@
     'integer.title' => 'Integer',
     'link.config.collections' => 'Entries from these collections will be available. Leaving this empty will make entries from routable collections available.',
     'link.config.container' => 'Choose which asset container to use for this field.',
+    'link.config.default_option' => 'The default Link type option, if available for the fieldtype\'s configuration.',
     'link.title' => 'Link',
     'list.config.add_row' => 'Customize the label of the "Add Item" button.',
     'list.title' => 'List',
diff --git a/src/Fieldtypes/Link.php b/src/Fieldtypes/Link.php
index a42c37e7a91..d5ca4200819 100644
--- a/src/Fieldtypes/Link.php
+++ b/src/Fieldtypes/Link.php
@@ -49,6 +49,21 @@ protected function configFieldItems(): array
                         'type' => 'toggle',
                         'width' => '50',
                     ],
+                    'default_option' => [
+                        'display' => __('Default Option'),
+                        'instructions' => __('statamic::fieldtypes.link.config.default_option'),
+                        'type' => 'select',
+                        'max_items' => 1,
+                        'width' => '50',
+                        'clearable' => true,
+                        'placeholder' => __('Default'),
+                        'options' => [
+                            'asset' => __('Asset'),
+                            'entry' => __('Entry'),
+                            'first-child' => __('First Child'),
+                            'url' => __('URL'),
+                        ],
+                    ],
                 ],
             ],
         ];
@@ -131,7 +146,18 @@ public function preload()
     private function initialOption($value, $entry, $asset)
     {
         if (! $value) {
-            return $this->field->isRequired() ? 'url' : null;
+            $fallback = $this->field->isRequired() ? 'url' : null;
+            $option = $this->field->get('default_option', $fallback);
+
+            if ($option === 'first-child' && ! $this->showFirstChildOption()) {
+                return $fallback;
+            }
+
+            if ($option === 'asset' && ! $this->showAssetOption()) {
+                return $fallback;
+            }
+
+            return $option;
         }
 
         if ($value === '@child') {
diff --git a/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php b/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php
index be520a0262f..bdab29b236d 100644
--- a/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php
+++ b/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php
@@ -4,16 +4,20 @@
 
 use Facades\Statamic\Routing\ResolveRedirect;
 use Mockery;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider;
 use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\Test;
 use Statamic\Entries\Entry;
 use Statamic\Facades;
 use Statamic\Fields\ArrayableString;
 use Statamic\Fields\Field;
 use Statamic\Fieldtypes\Link;
+use Tests\PreventSavingStacheItemsToDisk;
 use Tests\TestCase;
 
 class LinkTest extends TestCase
 {
+    use PreventSavingStacheItemsToDisk;
+
     #[Test]
     public function it_augments_string_to_string()
     {
@@ -261,4 +265,36 @@ public function it_pre_processes_first_child_for_index_when_no_children()
 
         $this->assertNull($fieldtype->preProcessIndex('@child'));
     }
+
+    #[Test]
+    #[DataProvider('initialOptionProvider')]
+    public function it_preloads_the_initial_option(array $config, mixed $value, bool $withParent, mixed $expected)
+    {
+        $this->actingAs(tap(Facades\User::make()->makeSuper())->save());
+        tap(Facades\Collection::make('pages')->routes('{slug}'))->sites(['en'])->save();
+
+        $field = new Field('test', $config);
+        $field->setValue($value);
+
+        if ($withParent) {
+            $field->setParent(Mockery::mock());
+        }
+
+        $fieldtype = (new Link)->setField($field);
+
+        $this->assertSame($expected, $fieldtype->preload()['initialOption']);
+    }
+
+    public static function initialOptionProvider(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'configured option is used' => [['type' => 'link', 'default_option' => 'entry'], null, false, 'entry'],
+            'url when required and no default option' => [['type' => 'link', 'required' => true], null, false, 'url'],
+            'null when optional and no default option' => [['type' => 'link'], null, false, null],
+            'first-child falls back to url when unavailable' => [['type' => 'link', 'default_option' => 'first-child', 'required' => true], null, true, 'url'],
+            'asset falls back to url when unavailable and required' => [['type' => 'link', 'default_option' => 'asset', 'required' => true], null, false, 'url'],
+            'asset falls back to null when unavailable and optional' => [['type' => 'link', 'default_option' => 'asset'], null, false, null],
+            'existing value overrides default option' => [['type' => 'link', 'default_option' => 'entry'], 'https://example.com', false, 'url'],
+        ];
+    }
 }