diff --git a/apps/blocks/src/lib/app-kit/resource-kit.ts b/apps/blocks/src/lib/app-kit/resource-kit.ts
index b4dcf13..31e0cc5 100644
--- a/apps/blocks/src/lib/app-kit/resource-kit.ts
+++ b/apps/blocks/src/lib/app-kit/resource-kit.ts
@@ -138,9 +138,9 @@ export function ContactPage({ id }: { id: string }) {
     },
     {
       name: 'ResourceField.createDefault',
-      type: "'now'",
+      type: "'now' | { value }",
       behavior:
-        'Prefills a date or datetime control from the reader’s local clock when a create form opens. An explicit form default takes precedence, and edit forms read the stored value.',
+        'Prefills a create form: \'now\' sets a date or datetime control from the reader’s local clock, and { value } sets any control to that value, such as the column’s database default. An explicit form default takes precedence, and edit forms read the stored value.',
     },
     {
       name: 'ResourceSource',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/resource-kit/form-values.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/resource-kit/form-values.ts
index 8f36d33..566b48e 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/resource-kit/form-values.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/resource-kit/form-values.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ export function initialFormValues(
 		if (!record && source === undefined && field.createDefault === 'now' && (field.input === 'date' || field.input === 'datetime')) {
 			localNow ??= toLocalDateTime(new Date());
 			values[field.name] = field.input === 'date' ? localNow.slice(0, 10) : localNow;
+		} else if (!record && source === undefined && typeof field.createDefault === 'object') {
+			values[field.name] = toFormValue(field, field.createDefault.value);
 		} else {
 			values[field.name] = toFormValue(field, source);
 		}
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/resource-kit/types.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/resource-kit/types.ts
index b4440e0..7a30522 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/resource-kit/types.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/resource-kit/types.ts
@@ -33,8 +33,12 @@ export type ResourceField = {
 	/** List and detail display; defaults from `input`. */
 	format?: FieldFormat;
 	required?: boolean;
-	/** Prefill a new date or datetime field from the local clock. Explicit form defaults take precedence. */
-	createDefault?: 'now';
+	/**
+	 * What a create form starts on: `'now'` prefills a date or datetime field from
+	 * the local clock; `{ value }` prefills any field with that value (a column's
+	 * database default, say). Explicit form defaults take precedence.
+	 */
+	createDefault?: 'now' | { value: string | number | boolean };
 	/** Shown, never written (e.g. createdAt). */
 	readOnly?: boolean;
 	/** Never shown (e.g. ownerId). */
diff --git a/packages/ui/test/resource-kit.test.tsx b/packages/ui/test/resource-kit.test.tsx
index 57cfa66..7371507 100644
--- a/packages/ui/test/resource-kit.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/test/resource-kit.test.tsx
@@ -312,6 +312,41 @@ describe('Resource Kit', () => {
 		}
 	});
 
+	it('starts a create form on each value default, and leaves edit forms on the stored values', async () => {
+		const { resources, tasks } = workspace();
+		const defaulted = resources.map((resource) => resource.name === 'tasks' ? {
+			...resource,
+			formFields: [...resource.formFields, 'priority'],
+			fields: {
+				...resource.fields,
+				estimate: { ...resource.fields.estimate, createDefault: { value: 3 } },
+				priority: {
+					name: 'priority',
+					label: 'Priority',
+					input: 'select' as const,
+					options: [{ value: 'low', label: 'Low' }, { value: 'medium', label: 'Medium' }],
+					createDefault: { value: 'medium' },
+				},
+			},
+		} : resource);
+		await render(<EntityFormSheet resource="tasks" open onOpenChange={() => {}} defaultValues={{ projectId: 'p1' }} />, defaulted);
+		await settle();
+
+		expect(field('Estimate').value).toBe('3');
+		expect(text(field('Priority'))).toContain('Medium');
+		await type(field('Title'), 'Kickoff');
+		await submit();
+		expect(tasks.create).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ estimate: 3, priority: 'medium' }));
+
+		await act(async () => root!.unmount());
+		container!.remove();
+		const existing = await tasks.get('t1');
+		await render(<EntityFormSheet resource="tasks" record={existing} open onOpenChange={() => {}} />, defaulted);
+		await settle();
+		expect(field('Estimate').value).toBe(String(existing?.estimate ?? ''));
+		expect(text(field('Priority'))).not.toContain('Medium');
+	});
+
 	it('creates a related record from a detail view with the parent filled in, mapped values, and a refreshed list', async () => {
 		const { resources, tasks } = workspace();
 		await render(<RecordDetail resource="projects" id="p1" />, resources);