diff --git a/packages/payload/src/config/defaults.ts b/packages/payload/src/config/defaults.ts
index 77dc94677c..aa8c01a0b7 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/config/defaults.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/config/defaults.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ export const defaults: Omit<Config, 'db' | 'editor' | 'secret'> = {
   defaultDepth: 2,
   defaultMaxTextLength: 40000,
   endpoints: [],
+  experimental: {},
   globals: [],
   graphQL: {
     disablePlaygroundInProduction: true,
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ export const addDefaultsToConfig = (config: Config): Config => {
   config.defaultDepth = config.defaultDepth ?? 2
   config.defaultMaxTextLength = config.defaultMaxTextLength ?? 40000
   config.endpoints = config.endpoints ?? []
+  config.experimental = config.experimental ?? {}
   config.globals = config.globals ?? []
   config.graphQL = {
     disableIntrospectionInProduction: true,