diff --git a/lang/en/fieldtypes.php b/lang/en/fieldtypes.php
index 650448ef7a..9c8001cc33 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 a42c37e7a9..d5ca420081 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 be520a0262..8f57aec072 100644
--- a/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php
+++ b/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php
@@ -10,10 +10,13 @@
 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 +264,106 @@ public function it_pre_processes_first_child_for_index_when_no_children()
 
         $this->assertNull($fieldtype->preProcessIndex('@child'));
     }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function it_preloads_the_configured_initial_option()
+    {
+        tap(Facades\Collection::make('pages')->routes('{slug}'))->sites(['en'])->save();
+
+        $field = new Field('test', [
+            'type' => 'link',
+            'default_option' => 'entry',
+        ]);
+
+        $field->setValue(null);
+        $fieldtype = (new Link)->setField($field);
+
+        $this->assertEquals('entry', $fieldtype->preload()['initialOption']);
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function it_preloads_the_url_initial_option_when_required()
+    {
+        tap(Facades\Collection::make('pages')->routes('{slug}'))->sites(['en'])->save();
+
+        $field = new Field('test', [
+            'type' => 'link',
+            'required' => true,
+        ]);
+
+        $field->setValue(null);
+        $fieldtype = (new Link)->setField($field);
+
+        $this->assertEquals('url', $fieldtype->preload()['initialOption']);
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function it_preloads_the_expected_initial_option_when_default_option_not_set()
+    {
+        tap(Facades\Collection::make('pages')->routes('{slug}'))->sites(['en'])->save();
+
+        $field = new Field('test', [
+            'type' => 'link',
+        ]);
+
+        $field->setValue(null);
+
+        $fieldtype = (new Link)->setField($field);
+
+        $this->assertNull($fieldtype->preload()['initialOption']);
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function it_preloads_initial_option_of_first_child_only_when_available()
+    {
+        tap(Facades\Collection::make('pages')->routes('{slug}'))->sites(['en'])->save();
+
+        $field = new Field('test', [
+            'type' => 'link',
+            'default_option' => 'first-child',
+            'required' => true,
+        ]);
+
+        $field->setValue(null);
+        $field->setParent(Mockery::mock());
+
+        $fieldtype = (new Link)->setField($field);
+
+        $this->assertEquals('url', $fieldtype->preload()['initialOption']);
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function it_preloads_initial_option_of_asset_only_when_available()
+    {
+        tap(Facades\Collection::make('pages')->routes('{slug}'))->sites(['en'])->save();
+
+        $field = new Field('test', [
+            'type' => 'link',
+            'default_option' => 'asset',
+            'required' => true,
+        ]);
+
+        $field->setValue(null);
+
+        $fieldtype = (new Link)->setField($field);
+
+        $this->assertEquals('url', $fieldtype->preload()['initialOption']);
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function it_preloads_the_values_initial_option_when_set()
+    {
+        tap(Facades\Collection::make('pages')->routes('{slug}'))->sites(['en'])->save();
+
+        $field = new Field('test', [
+            'type' => 'link',
+            'default_option' => 'entry',
+        ]);
+
+        $field->setValue('https://example.com');
+
+        $fieldtype = (new Link)->setField($field);
+
+        $this->assertEquals('url', $fieldtype->preload()['initialOption']);
+    }
 }