diff --git a/src/frontend/src/forms/CommonForms.tsx b/src/frontend/src/forms/CommonForms.tsx
index 8950c6fc65..71ae140ac3 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/forms/CommonForms.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/forms/CommonForms.tsx
@@ -216,6 +216,9 @@ export function useParameterFields({
             }
           } else if (record?.selectionlist) {
             setFieldType('related field');
+          } else {
+            // Default to a simple string field
+            setFieldType('string');
           }
         },
         addCreateFields: user.isStaff() ? templateCreateFields : undefined