diff --git a/src/config/constants.ts b/src/config/constants.ts
index af21c96762..6638519042 100644
--- a/src/config/constants.ts
+++ b/src/config/constants.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export const kNotebookViewStyle = "notebook-view-style";
 export const kNotebookPreserveCells = "notebook-preserve-cells";
 export const kClearCellOptions = "clear-cell-options";
 export const kDownloadUrl = "download-url";
+export const kLightbox = "lightbox";
 
 export const kNotebookPreviewOptions = "notebook-preview-options";
 export const kNotebookPreviewOptionBack = "back";
diff --git a/src/project/types/manuscript/manuscript.ts b/src/project/types/manuscript/manuscript.ts
index 5fc07f11d7..5b7ce7c08d 100644
--- a/src/project/types/manuscript/manuscript.ts
+++ b/src/project/types/manuscript/manuscript.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
   kKeepHidden,
   kKeepTex,
   kLanguageDefaults,
+  kLightbox,
   kManuscriptMecaBundle,
   kNotebookLinks,
   kNotebookPreserveCells,
@@ -299,6 +300,9 @@ export const manuscriptProjectType: ProjectType = {
     // Default to manuscript title block style
     config[kTitleBlockStyle] = "manuscript";
 
+    // Default to lightbox auto
+    config[kLightbox] = "auto";
+
     return config;
   },
   create: (title: string): ProjectCreate => {