diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/data/migrations/versions/6.25/2026-03-26-15-47-00-insert-default-email-design-settings-row.js b/ghost/core/core/server/data/migrations/versions/6.25/2026-03-26-15-47-00-insert-default-email-design-settings-row.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b240df2bc83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/data/migrations/versions/6.25/2026-03-26-15-47-00-insert-default-email-design-settings-row.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+const logging = require('@tryghost/logging');
+const {default: ObjectID} = require('bson-objectid');
+const {createTransactionalMigration} = require('../../utils');
+
+const DEFAULT_SLUG = 'default-automated-email';
+
+module.exports = createTransactionalMigration(
+    async function up(knex) {
+        logging.info('Inserting default email_design_settings row');
+
+        const existing = await knex('email_design_settings').where({slug: DEFAULT_SLUG}).first();
+
+        if (existing) {
+            logging.warn('Default email_design_settings row already exists, skipping');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        await knex('email_design_settings').insert({
+            id: (new ObjectID()).toHexString(),
+            slug: DEFAULT_SLUG,
+            background_color: 'light',
+            header_background_color: 'transparent',
+            show_header_title: true,
+            button_color: 'accent',
+            button_corners: 'rounded',
+            button_style: 'fill',
+            link_color: 'accent',
+            link_style: 'underline',
+            body_font_category: 'sans_serif',
+            title_font_category: 'sans_serif',
+            title_font_weight: 'bold',
+            image_corners: 'square',
+            show_badge: true,
+            created_at: knex.raw('current_timestamp')
+        });
+    },
+    async function down(knex) {
+        logging.info('Deleting default email_design_settings row');
+
+        await knex('email_design_settings').where({slug: DEFAULT_SLUG}).del();
+    }
+);
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/data/schema/fixtures/fixtures.json b/ghost/core/core/server/data/schema/fixtures/fixtures.json
index ca4818246c4..4f270977a16 100644
--- a/ghost/core/core/server/data/schema/fixtures/fixtures.json
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/data/schema/fixtures/fixtures.json
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@
                 }
             ]
         },
+        {
+            "name": "EmailDesignSetting",
+            "entries": [
+                {
+                    "slug": "default-automated-email"
+                }
+            ]
+        },
         {
             "name": "Tag",
             "entries": [
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/models/email-design-setting.js b/ghost/core/core/server/models/email-design-setting.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a26a02fce4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/models/email-design-setting.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+const ghostBookshelf = require('./base');
+
+const EmailDesignSetting = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
+    tableName: 'email_design_settings',
+
+    defaults() {
+        return {
+            background_color: 'light',
+            header_background_color: 'transparent',
+            show_header_title: true,
+            button_color: 'accent',
+            button_corners: 'rounded',
+            button_style: 'fill',
+            link_color: 'accent',
+            link_style: 'underline',
+            body_font_category: 'sans_serif',
+            title_font_category: 'sans_serif',
+            title_font_weight: 'bold',
+            image_corners: 'square',
+            show_badge: true
+        };
+    }
+});
+
+module.exports = {
+    EmailDesignSetting: ghostBookshelf.model('EmailDesignSetting', EmailDesignSetting)
+};
diff --git a/ghost/core/package.json b/ghost/core/package.json
index a1393a819d1..5a600d2897d 100644
--- a/ghost/core/package.json
+++ b/ghost/core/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ghost",
-  "version": "6.24.0",
+  "version": "6.25.0-rc.0",
   "description": "The professional publishing platform",
   "author": "Ghost Foundation",
   "homepage": "https://ghost.org",
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/data/schema/integrity.test.js b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/data/schema/integrity.test.js
index 39841804286..e7107a95a7e 100644
--- a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/data/schema/integrity.test.js
+++ b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/data/schema/integrity.test.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ const validateRouteSettings = require('../../../../../core/server/services/route
 describe('DB version integrity', function () {
     // Only these variables should need updating
     const currentSchemaHash = 'c193998d02d13e8b85162315d938772c';
-    const currentFixturesHash = '4dcbd7b52bc9ce23e6f5f1673118ba73';
+    const currentFixturesHash = '987b256376357b65fb0d9ef7137c0b00';
     const currentSettingsHash = 'a102b80d2ab0cd92325ed007c94d7da6';
     const currentRoutesHash = '3d180d52c663d173a6be791ef411ed01';