diff --git a/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_create_world.lua b/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_create_world.lua
index 27fe68050..f11f8ca1f 100644
--- a/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_create_world.lua
+++ b/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_create_world.lua
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ local mgv6_biomes = {
 
 local function create_world_formspec(dialogdata)
 
-	local current_mg = dialogdata.mg
+	local current_mg = dialogdata.mg or core.settings:get("mg_name")
 	local mapgens = core.get_mapgen_names()
 
 	local flags = dialogdata.flags
@@ -96,6 +96,11 @@ local function create_world_formspec(dialogdata)
 	if game ~= nil then
 		local gameconfig = Settings(game.path.."/game.conf")
 
+		local game_default_mg = gameconfig:get("default_mapgen")
+		if dialogdata.mg == nil and game_default_mg then
+			current_mg = game_default_mg
+		end
+
 		local allowed_mapgens = (gameconfig:get("allowed_mapgens") or ""):split()
 		for key, value in pairs(allowed_mapgens) do
 			allowed_mapgens[key] = value:trim()
@@ -456,7 +461,6 @@ function create_create_world_dlg()
 		worldname = "",
 		-- settings the world is created with:
 		seed = core.settings:get("fixed_map_seed") or "",
-		mg = core.settings:get("mg_name"),
 		flags = {
 			main = core.settings:get_flags("mg_flags"),
 			v5 = core.settings:get_flags("mgv5_spflags"),
diff --git a/doc/lua_api.md b/doc/lua_api.md
index b34e571c2..a5608b741 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.md
+++ b/doc/lua_api.md
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ The game directory can contain the following files:
       When both `allowed_mapgens` and `disallowed_mapgens` are
       specified, `allowed_mapgens` is applied before
       `disallowed_mapgens`.
+    * `default_mapgen`
+      e.g. `default_mapgen = valleys`
+      Set default mapgen for game, this will be the default selection when creating a new world.
     * `disallowed_mapgen_settings= <comma-separated mapgen settings>`
       e.g. `disallowed_mapgen_settings = mgv5_spflags`
       These mapgen settings are hidden for this game in the world creation