diff --git a/src/modules/manager/workflowTemplates/components/CapabilityEditors/TaskCoreEditor.tsx b/src/modules/manager/workflowTemplates/components/CapabilityEditors/TaskCoreEditor.tsx
index e2dcfb0..501edad 100644
--- a/src/modules/manager/workflowTemplates/components/CapabilityEditors/TaskCoreEditor.tsx
+++ b/src/modules/manager/workflowTemplates/components/CapabilityEditors/TaskCoreEditor.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ interface TaskCoreEditorProps {
   allowedTasks: TaskMetadata[];
   onChange: (updated: TaskDefinition) => void;
   onValidate: (result: TaskValidationResult) => void;
+  shouldAssignDefaults: boolean;
 }
 
 export const TaskCoreEditor: React.FC<TaskCoreEditorProps> = ({
@@ -24,11 +25,11 @@ export const TaskCoreEditor: React.FC<TaskCoreEditorProps> = ({
   allowedTasks,
   onChange,
   onValidate,
+  shouldAssignDefaults,
 }) => {
   const { t: tTaskType } = useTranslation(Namespaces.TaskTypes);
   const [fieldErrors, setFieldErrors] = useState<Record<string, string>>({});
   const prevErrorsRef = useRef<Record<string, string>>({});
-  const hasAssignedDefaultName = useRef(false);
 
   // Generate a unique default name
   const nameExists = (tasks: TaskDefinition[], candidate: string): boolean => {
@@ -59,42 +60,50 @@ export const TaskCoreEditor: React.FC<TaskCoreEditorProps> = ({
     [allowedTasks, task.type, tTaskType],
   );
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // Reset the guard when a new task is loaded
-    hasAssignedDefaultName.current = false;
-  }, [task.config.guid]);
+  const assignDefaults = (
+    newConfig: Record<string, unknown>,
+    task: TaskDefinition,
+    allTasks: TaskDefinition[],
+    allowedTasks: TaskMetadata[],
+    formatNewTaskName: (tasks: TaskDefinition[]) => string,
+  ) => {
+    const displayName = allowedTasks.find(
+      (t) => t.taskType === task.type,
+    )?.displayName;
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!hasAssignedDefaultName.current && !task.config.name) {
-      hasAssignedDefaultName.current = true;
-
-      const displayName = allowedTasks.find(
-        (t) => t.taskType === task.type,
-      )?.displayName;
-
-      const newConfig = { ...task.config };
-
-      // Assign default name
-      if (displayName) {
-        newConfig.name = formatNewTaskName(allTasks);
-      }
-
-      // Assign default predecessor (the task immediately before this one)
-      const index = allTasks.findIndex(
-        (t) => t.config.guid === task.config.guid,
-      );
-
-      if (index > 0) {
-        const previousTask = allTasks[index - 1];
-        newConfig.predecessors = [previousTask.config.guid as string];
-      }
-
-      onChange({
-        ...task,
-        config: newConfig,
-      });
+    // Assign default name
+    if (displayName) {
+      newConfig.name = formatNewTaskName(allTasks);
     }
-  }, [allTasks, allowedTasks, formatNewTaskName, onChange, task]);
+
+    // Assign default predecessor (the task immediately before this one)
+    const index = allTasks.findIndex((t) => t.config.guid === task.config.guid);
+
+    if (index > 0) {
+      const previousTask = allTasks[index - 1];
+      newConfig.predecessors = [previousTask.config.guid as string];
+    }
+  };
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!shouldAssignDefaults) return;
+
+    const newConfig = { ...task.config };
+
+    assignDefaults(newConfig, task, allTasks, allowedTasks, formatNewTaskName);
+
+    onChange({
+      ...task,
+      config: newConfig,
+    });
+  }, [
+    shouldAssignDefaults,
+    task,
+    allTasks,
+    allowedTasks,
+    formatNewTaskName,
+    onChange,
+  ]);
 
   const runValidation = useCallback(() => {
     const errors: Record<string, string> = {};
diff --git a/src/modules/manager/workflowTemplates/components/TasksEditor.tsx b/src/modules/manager/workflowTemplates/components/TasksEditor.tsx
index e02dab3..31432a1 100644
--- a/src/modules/manager/workflowTemplates/components/TasksEditor.tsx
+++ b/src/modules/manager/workflowTemplates/components/TasksEditor.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,30 @@ export const TaskEditor: React.FC<TaskEditorProps> = ({
   onChange,
   onValidate,
 }) => {
+  //region assign defaults
+  const hasAssignedDefaultsRef = useRef(false);
+  const [shouldAssignDefaults, setShouldAssignDefaults] = useState(false);
+
+  // Reset guard when a new task is loaded
+  useEffect(() => {
+    hasAssignedDefaultsRef.current = false;
+    setShouldAssignDefaults(false);
+  }, [task.config.guid]);
+
+  // Decide when to trigger initial defaults (current rule: no name yet)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!hasAssignedDefaultsRef.current && !task.config.name) {
+      hasAssignedDefaultsRef.current = true;
+      setShouldAssignDefaults(true);
+    } else {
+      // ensure we only pulse true once
+      setShouldAssignDefaults(false);
+    }
+  }, [task.config.name]);
+
+  //end region assign defaults
+
+  //region Validation
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars
   const [validationMap, setValidationMap] = useState<
     Record<string, TaskValidationResult>
@@ -52,6 +76,8 @@ export const TaskEditor: React.FC<TaskEditorProps> = ({
     }
   }, [validationMap, task.config.guid, onValidate]);
 
+  //End region validation
+
   return (
     <>
       <TaskCoreEditor
@@ -60,6 +86,7 @@ export const TaskEditor: React.FC<TaskEditorProps> = ({
         allTasks={allTasks}
         onChange={onChange}
         onValidate={(result) => onCapabilityValidate("core", result)}
+        shouldAssignDefaults={shouldAssignDefaults}
       />
     </>
   );