diff --git a/src/backend/app/organisations/organisation_deps.py b/src/backend/app/organisations/organisation_deps.py
index 6db119e02..6688c7e44 100644
--- a/src/backend/app/organisations/organisation_deps.py
+++ b/src/backend/app/organisations/organisation_deps.py
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@
 
 """Organisation dependencies for use in Depends."""
 
+import os
 from typing import Annotated
 
 from fastapi import Depends
 from fastapi.exceptions import HTTPException
+from loguru import logger as log
 from psycopg import Connection
 
 from app.central import central_schemas
@@ -79,10 +81,12 @@ async def get_org_odk_creds(
     password = org.odk_central_password
 
     if not all([url, user, password]):
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND,
-            detail="Organisation does not have ODK Central credentials configured",
+        log.info(
+            """Organisation does not have ODK Central credentials configured
+            using default hotosm credentials""",
         )
+        default_creds = await get_default_odk_creds()
+        return central_schemas.ODKCentralDecrypted(**default_creds.dict())
 
     return central_schemas.ODKCentralDecrypted(
         odk_central_url=url,
@@ -91,6 +95,15 @@ async def get_org_odk_creds(
     )
 
 
+async def get_default_odk_creds():
+    """Get default odk credentials."""
+    return central_schemas.ODKCentralIn(
+        odk_central_url=os.getenv("ODK_CENTRAL_URL"),
+        odk_central_user=os.getenv("ODK_CENTRAL_USER"),
+        odk_central_password=os.getenv("ODK_CENTRAL_PASSWD"),
+    )
+
+
 async def org_exists(
     org_id: int | str,
     db: Annotated[Connection, Depends(db_conn)],
diff --git a/src/backend/app/projects/project_crud.py b/src/backend/app/projects/project_crud.py
index 71d5e95db..f00d90c01 100644
--- a/src/backend/app/projects/project_crud.py
+++ b/src/backend/app/projects/project_crud.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
     parse_geojson_file_to_featcol,
     split_geojson_by_task_areas,
 )
+from app.organisations.organisation_deps import get_default_odk_creds
 from app.projects import project_deps, project_schemas
 from app.s3 import add_file_to_bucket, add_obj_to_bucket
 
@@ -557,6 +558,10 @@ async def generate_project_files(
     project_odk_form_id = project.odk_form_id
     project_odk_creds = project.odk_credentials
 
+    if not project_odk_creds:
+        # get default credentials
+        project_odk_creds = await get_default_odk_creds()
+
     odk_token = await generate_odk_central_project_content(
         project_odk_id,
         project_odk_form_id,
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/components/createnewproject/ProjectDetailsForm.tsx b/src/frontend/src/components/createnewproject/ProjectDetailsForm.tsx
index 0fe74239f..7a255f774 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/components/createnewproject/ProjectDetailsForm.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/components/createnewproject/ProjectDetailsForm.tsx
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ const ProjectDetailsForm = ({ flag }) => {
 
     if (selectedOrg && selectedOrg.hasODKCredentials) {
       handleCustomChange('defaultODKCredentials', selectedOrg.hasODKCredentials);
+    } else {
+      // Allow the user to choose default credentials for orgs without ODK credentials
+      handleCustomChange('defaultODKCredentials', false);
     }
   };
 
@@ -166,7 +169,7 @@ const ProjectDetailsForm = ({ flag }) => {
             }}
             onMouseLeave={() => dispatch(CreateProjectActions.SetDescriptionToFocus(null))}
           >
-            {hasODKCredentials && (
+            {
               <CustomCheckbox
                 key="defaultODKCredentials"
                 label="Use default ODK credentials"
@@ -175,10 +178,10 @@ const ProjectDetailsForm = ({ flag }) => {
                   handleCustomChange('defaultODKCredentials', !values.defaultODKCredentials);
                 }}
                 className="fmtm-text-black"
-                labelClickable={true}
+                labelClickable={hasODKCredentials} // Dynamically set labelClickable based on hasODKCredentials
               />
-            )}
-            {((!values.defaultODKCredentials && hasODKCredentials) || !hasODKCredentials) && (
+            }
+            {!values.defaultODKCredentials && !hasODKCredentials && (
               <>
                 <InputTextField
                   id="odk_central_url"