# Did the config select dropdown behaviour change?

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693>\
**Category:** Core Development\
**Created:** [16 November 2025 03:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693 "2025-11-16T03:44:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Vahdettin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e8c25b/32.png) [@Vahdettin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Vahdettin)\
**Post date:** [16 November 2025 03:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693/1 "2025-11-16T03:44:21Z")

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Hello, I maintain several collections that have a shared "central" config. For all of them, when I drag a new node onto the palette, the new node never defaults to the already existing configuration, it always reverts to "None". I could have sworn the behavior used to be different and the default would always be a valid config node that already exists. Is this not the case? How do I change it? The problem here is that I have to select a config node, close the child, and then reopen it to see the data that it is fed from the config node. Is there anyway to fix this?

Thanks,  
Vahdettin

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**Author:** ![omrid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@omrid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/omrid)\
**Post date:** [16 November 2025 09:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693/2 "2025-11-16T09:39:22Z")

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As far as I know, a node (which uses a config node) defaults to 'none', and you need to click the '+' to create a new config and associate it to the node. This makes sense (at least to me).

If there is a use-case for a default, auto-created/auto-assigned config node, I believe it needs to be implemented by you in your node configuration code.

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**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [16 November 2025 15:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693/3 "2025-11-16T15:11:33Z")

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Pretty sure the point @Vahdettin is making is:

If there is already a config (of the correct type) (i.e. one or more already exist) why doesn't the config dropdown default to the first available config node?

I am 95% certain the config selector used to automatically pick up the first config available (in the days before the [Add] and [Edit] buttons were separated out)

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [16 November 2025 15:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693/4 "2025-11-16T15:23:19Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> I am 95% certain the config selector used to automatically pick up the first config available (in the days before the [Add] and [Edit] buttons were separated out)

I think you are right. I thought something was not right a little while ago but it wasn't till it was pointed out that I realised the issue.

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**Author:** ![Vahdettin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e8c25b/32.png) [@Vahdettin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Vahdettin)\
**Post date:** [16 November 2025 17:36 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693/5 "2025-11-16T17:36:33Z")

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Yes, Steve-Mci is correct, I'm only asking about the dropdown's default value when a valid config node already exists for the collection (created manually or otherwise)

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**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [16 November 2025 19:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693/6 "2025-11-16T19:00:38Z")

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@Vahdettin if you can, please [raise an issue](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/issues/new?template=bug_report.yml) on the Node-RED repository so this doesn't slip.

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**Author:** ![Vahdettin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e8c25b/32.png) [@Vahdettin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Vahdettin)\
**Post date:** [16 November 2025 23:36 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693/7 "2025-11-16T23:36:13Z")

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Done, thanks for the reminder. Had to create a new GitHub account for some reason.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [17 November 2025 09:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693/8 "2025-11-17T09:43:39Z")

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For the record: [Shared configuration selector defaults to "none" even if valid config node exists · Issue #5354 · node-red/node-red · GitHub](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/issues/5354)

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [16 January 2026 09:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/did-the-config-select-dropdown-behaviour-change/99693/9 "2026-01-16T09:43:48Z")

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