diff --git a/planetstack/core/models/slice.py b/planetstack/core/models/slice.py
index 94bcd5b..fd91c30 100644
--- a/planetstack/core/models/slice.py
+++ b/planetstack/core/models/slice.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     description=models.TextField(blank=True,help_text="High level description of the slice and expected activities", max_length=1024)
     slice_url = models.URLField(blank=True, max_length=512)
     site = models.ForeignKey(Site, related_name='slices', help_text="The Site this Slice belongs to")
-    imagePreference = models.CharField(null=True, blank=True, max_length=256)
+    imagePreference = models.CharField(default="Ubuntu 12.04 LTS", null=True, blank=True, max_length=256)
     service = models.ForeignKey(Service, related_name='service', null=True, blank=True)
     network = models.CharField(default="Private Only",null=True, blank=True, max_length=256)
     mountDataSets = models.CharField(default="GenBank",null=True, blank=True, max_length=256)