diff --git a/engine/internal/cloning/base.go b/engine/internal/cloning/base.go
index 952a9436..092d49d9 100644
--- a/engine/internal/cloning/base.go
+++ b/engine/internal/cloning/base.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"gitlab.com/postgres-ai/database-lab/v3/pkg/log"
 	"gitlab.com/postgres-ai/database-lab/v3/pkg/models"
 	"gitlab.com/postgres-ai/database-lab/v3/pkg/util"
+	"gitlab.com/postgres-ai/database-lab/v3/pkg/util/branching"
 	"gitlab.com/postgres-ai/database-lab/v3/pkg/util/pglog"
 )
 
@@ -172,7 +173,11 @@ func (c *Base) CreateClone(cloneRequest *types.CloneCreateRequest) (*models.Clon
 	}
 
 	if cloneRequest.Branch == "" {
-		cloneRequest.Branch = snapshot.Branch
+		if cloneRequest.Snapshot != nil {
+			cloneRequest.Branch = snapshot.Branch
+		} else {
+			cloneRequest.Branch = branching.DefaultBranch
+		}
 	}
 
 	clone := &models.Clone{
diff --git a/engine/internal/cloning/base_test.go b/engine/internal/cloning/base_test.go
index a63c28bc..57c990a3 100644
--- a/engine/internal/cloning/base_test.go
+++ b/engine/internal/cloning/base_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
 
+	"gitlab.com/postgres-ai/database-lab/v3/pkg/client/dblabapi/types"
 	"gitlab.com/postgres-ai/database-lab/v3/pkg/models"
+	"gitlab.com/postgres-ai/database-lab/v3/pkg/util/branching"
 )
 
 func TestBaseCloningSuite(t *testing.T) {
@@ -133,3 +135,35 @@ func (s *BaseCloningSuite) TestLenClones() {
 	lenClones = s.cloning.lenClones()
 	assert.Equal(s.T(), 1, lenClones)
 }
+
+func TestDefaultBranchForCloneCreation(t *testing.T) {
+	testCases := []struct {
+		name              string
+		inputBranch       string
+		snapshotSpecified bool
+		snapshotBranch    string
+		expectedBranch    string
+	}{
+		{name: "no branch no snapshot defaults to main", inputBranch: "", snapshotSpecified: false, snapshotBranch: "", expectedBranch: "main"},
+		{name: "no branch with dev snapshot uses snapshot branch", inputBranch: "", snapshotSpecified: true, snapshotBranch: "dev", expectedBranch: "dev"},
+		{name: "no branch with feature snapshot uses snapshot branch", inputBranch: "", snapshotSpecified: true, snapshotBranch: "feature", expectedBranch: "feature"},
+		{name: "explicit dev branch preserved", inputBranch: "dev", snapshotSpecified: false, snapshotBranch: "", expectedBranch: "dev"},
+		{name: "explicit main branch preserved", inputBranch: "main", snapshotSpecified: true, snapshotBranch: "dev", expectedBranch: "main"},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			request := &types.CloneCreateRequest{Branch: tc.inputBranch}
+
+			if request.Branch == "" {
+				if tc.snapshotSpecified {
+					request.Branch = tc.snapshotBranch
+				} else {
+					request.Branch = branching.DefaultBranch
+				}
+			}
+
+			assert.Equal(t, tc.expectedBranch, request.Branch)
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/ui/packages/shared/pages/CreateClone/index.tsx b/ui/packages/shared/pages/CreateClone/index.tsx
index 2629f5e0..c089a706 100644
--- a/ui/packages/shared/pages/CreateClone/index.tsx
+++ b/ui/packages/shared/pages/CreateClone/index.tsx
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ export const CreateClone = observer((props: Props) => {
 
       const branches = (await stores.main.getBranches(props.instanceId)) ?? []
 
-      let initiallySelectedBranch = branches[0]?.name;
+      const mainBranch = branches.find((branch) => branch.name === 'main')
+      let initiallySelectedBranch = mainBranch?.name ?? branches[0]?.name;
 
       if (initialBranch && branches.find((branch) => branch.name === initialBranch)) {
         initiallySelectedBranch = initialBranch;