diff --git a/doc/release-notes/11914-set-template-default-api.md b/doc/release-notes/11914-set-template-default-api.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d9cad2edb71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/release-notes/11914-set-template-default-api.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+## New Endpoint: POST `/dataverses/{id}/template/default/{templateId}`
+
+A new endpoint has been implemented to set the default template to a given dataverse collection.
+
+### Functionality
+- Sets the default template of the given dataverse collection.
+- You must have edit dataverse permission in the collection in order to use this endpoint.
+
+## New Endpoint: DELETE `/dataverses/{id}/template/default`
+
+A new endpoint has been implemented to remove the default template to a given dataverse collection.
+
+### Functionality
+- Removes the default template of the given dataverse collection.
+- You must have edit dataverse permission in the collection in order to use this endpoint.
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/AbstractApiBean.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/AbstractApiBean.java
index 4cb3466ab4c..66d8091b7df 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/AbstractApiBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/AbstractApiBean.java
@@ -370,6 +370,20 @@ protected Dataverse findDataverseOrDie( String dvIdtf ) throws WrappedResponse {
         }
         return dv;
     }
+
+    protected Template findTemplateOrDie(Long templateId, Dataverse dataverse) throws WrappedResponse {
+        
+        Template template = dataverse.getTemplates().stream()
+                .filter(t -> Objects.equals(t.getId(), templateId))
+                .findFirst()
+                .orElse(null);
+
+        if (template == null) {
+            throw new WrappedResponse(
+                    error(Response.Status.NOT_FOUND, "Can't find template with identifier='" + templateId + "'"));
+        }
+        return template;
+    }
     
     protected DataverseLinkingDataverse findDataverseLinkingDataverseOrDie(String dataverseId, String linkedDataverseId) throws WrappedResponse {
         DataverseLinkingDataverse dvld;
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/Dataverses.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/Dataverses.java
index 29bac86e658..353ed62fb86 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/Dataverses.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/Dataverses.java
@@ -2002,6 +2002,45 @@ public Response createTemplate(@Context ContainerRequestContext crc, String body
         }
     }
 
+    @POST
+    @AuthRequired
+    @Path("{identifier}/templates/default/{templateId}")
+    public Response setDefaultTemplate(@Context ContainerRequestContext crc,
+            @PathParam("identifier") String dvId,
+            @PathParam("templateId") Long templateId) {
+
+        try {
+
+            Dataverse dataverse = findDataverseOrDie(dvId);
+            Template template = findTemplateOrDie(templateId, dataverse);
+            DataverseRequest dvReq = createDataverseRequest(getRequestUser(crc));
+            SetDefaultTemplateCommand command = new SetDefaultTemplateCommand(template, dvReq, dataverse);
+            
+            execCommand(command);
+
+            return ok(BundleUtil.getStringFromBundle("dataverse.setDefaultTemplate.success"));
+        
+        } catch (WrappedResponse e) {
+            return e.getResponse();
+        }
+    }
+
+    @DELETE
+    @AuthRequired
+    @Path("{identifier}/templates/default")
+    public Response removeDefaultTemplate(@Context ContainerRequestContext crc,
+            @PathParam("identifier") String dvId) {
+        try {
+            Dataverse dataverse = findDataverseOrDie(dvId);
+            RemoveDefaultDatasetCommand command = new RemoveDefaultDatasetCommand(createDataverseRequest(getRequestUser(crc)), dataverse);
+            execCommand(command);
+            return ok(BundleUtil.getStringFromBundle("dataverse.removeDefaultTemplate.success"));
+        } catch (WrappedResponse e) {
+            return e.getResponse();
+        }
+    }
+
+
     @GET
     @AuthRequired
     @Path("{identifier}/allowedMetadataLanguages")
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/CreateTemplateCommand.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/CreateTemplateCommand.java
index fb5e3534f0e..89f742f1c4a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/CreateTemplateCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/CreateTemplateCommand.java
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ public Template execute(CommandContext ctxt) throws CommandException {
         if (initialize && template.isIsDefaultForDataverse()) {
             dataverse.setDefaultTemplate(createdTemplate);
             ctxt.em().merge(dataverse);
+            ctxt.em().flush();
         }
-
-        return template;
+        
+        return createdTemplate;
     }
 
     private static void updateTermsOfUseAndAccess(CommandContext ctxt, Template template) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/RemoveDefaultDatasetCommand.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/RemoveDefaultDatasetCommand.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5baeece8e98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/RemoveDefaultDatasetCommand.java
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+package edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.impl;
+
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.*;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.authorization.Permission;
+
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.AbstractCommand;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.CommandContext;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.DataverseRequest;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.RequiredPermissions;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.exception.CommandException;
+
+/** 
+ * @author J.P. Tosca
+ * Removes the default template {@link Template} for a {@link Dataverse}.
+ */
+@RequiredPermissions(Permission.EditDataverse)
+public class RemoveDefaultDatasetCommand extends AbstractCommand<Dataverse>{
+
+    private final Dataverse dataverse;
+
+    public RemoveDefaultDatasetCommand(DataverseRequest request, Dataverse dataverse) {
+        super(request, dataverse);
+        this.dataverse = dataverse;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Dataverse execute(CommandContext ctxt) throws CommandException {
+        dataverse.setDefaultTemplate(null);
+        return dataverse;
+    }
+    
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/SetDefaultTemplateCommand.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/SetDefaultTemplateCommand.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..01b50a33332
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/SetDefaultTemplateCommand.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.impl;
+
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.*;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.authorization.Permission;
+
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.AbstractCommand;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.CommandContext;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.DataverseRequest;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.RequiredPermissions;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.exception.CommandException;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.Template;
+
+/** 
+ * @author J.P. Tosca
+ * Sets a default template {@link Template} for a {@link Dataverse}.
+ */
+@RequiredPermissions(Permission.EditDataverse)
+public class SetDefaultTemplateCommand extends AbstractCommand<Template> {
+
+    private final Template template;
+    private final Dataverse dataverse;
+
+    public SetDefaultTemplateCommand(Template template, DataverseRequest request, Dataverse dataverse) {
+        super(request, dataverse);
+        this.template = template;
+        this.dataverse = dataverse;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Template execute(CommandContext ctxt) throws CommandException {
+        dataverse.setDefaultTemplate(template);
+        return template;
+    }
+    
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/propertyFiles/Bundle.properties b/src/main/java/propertyFiles/Bundle.properties
index e93280cca2d..fd12364e700 100644
--- a/src/main/java/propertyFiles/Bundle.properties
+++ b/src/main/java/propertyFiles/Bundle.properties
@@ -1031,6 +1031,8 @@ dataverse.update.featuredItems.error.invalidType=Unknown 'type' must be one of {
 dataverse.update.featuredItems.error.typeAndDvObjectMismatch=The 'type' passed does not match the dvObject type.
 dataverse.delete.featuredItems.success=All featured items of this Dataverse have been successfully deleted.
 dataverse.createTemplate.error.jsonParseMetadataFields=Error parsing the POSTed template dataset fields: {0}
+dataverse.setDefaultTemplate.success=The default dataset template has been successfully set for this dataverse.
+dataverse.removeDefaultTemplate.success=The default dataset template has been successfully removed from this dataverse.
 # rolesAndPermissionsFragment.xhtml
 
 # advanced.xhtml
diff --git a/src/test/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/DataversesIT.java b/src/test/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/DataversesIT.java
index cfa91e44cc0..7a2053dcf88 100644
--- a/src/test/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/DataversesIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/DataversesIT.java
@@ -2608,128 +2608,148 @@ public void testUpdateInputLevelDisplayOnCreateOverride() {
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void testCreateAndGetTemplates() throws JsonParseException  {
-        Response createUserResponse = UtilIT.createRandomUser();
-        String apiToken = UtilIT.getApiTokenFromResponse(createUserResponse);
-        String username = UtilIT.getUsernameFromResponse(createUserResponse);
-
-        Response createSecondUserResponse = UtilIT.createRandomUser();
-        String secondApiToken = UtilIT.getApiTokenFromResponse(createSecondUserResponse);
-        String secondUsername = UtilIT.getUsernameFromResponse(createSecondUserResponse);
-
-        
-        /*
-        We need to make this a non-inherited metadatablocks so the get template will only get templates from current dv
-         */
-        
-        Response createDataverseResponse = UtilIT.createRandomDataverse(apiToken);
-        createDataverseResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(CREATED.getStatusCode());
-        String dataverseAlias = UtilIT.getAliasFromResponse(createDataverseResponse);
-
-        String newName = "New Test Dataverse Name";
-        String newAffiliation = "New Test Dataverse Affiliation";
-        String newDataverseType = Dataverse.DataverseType.TEACHING_COURSES.toString();
-        String[] newContactEmails = new String[]{"new_email@dataverse.com"};
-        String[] newInputLevelNames = new String[]{"geographicCoverage"};
-        String[] newFacetIds = new String[]{"contributorName"};
-        String[] newMetadataBlockNames = new String[]{"citation", "geospatial", "biomedical"};
-
-       //Giving the new Dataverse updated metadatablocks so that it will not inherit templates 
-       Response updateDataverseResponse = UtilIT.updateDataverse(
-                dataverseAlias, dataverseAlias, newName, newAffiliation, newDataverseType, newContactEmails, newInputLevelNames,
-                null, newMetadataBlockNames, apiToken,
-                Boolean.FALSE, Boolean.FALSE, null
-        );
-       
-        updateDataverseResponse.then().assertThat()
-                .statusCode(OK.getStatusCode());
-
-        // Create a template
-
-        String jsonString = """
-                {
-                  "name": "Dataverse template",
-                  "isDefault": true,
-                  "fields": [
-                    {
-                      "typeName": "author",
-                      "value": [
-                        {
-                          "authorName": {
-                            "typeName": "authorName",
-                            "value": "Belicheck, Bill"
-                          },
-                          "authorAffiliation": {
-                            "typeName": "authorIdentifierScheme",
-                            "value": "ORCID"
-                          }
-                        }
-                      ]
-                    }
-                  ],
-                  "instructions": [
-                    {
-                        "instructionField": "author",
-                        "instructionText": "The author data"
-                    }
-                  ]
-                }
-                """;
-
-        Response createTemplateResponse = UtilIT.createTemplate(
-                dataverseAlias,
-                jsonString,
-                apiToken
-        );
-        
-        createTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode())
-                .body("data.name", equalTo("Dataverse template"))
-                .body("data.isDefault", equalTo(true))
-                .body("data.usageCount", equalTo(0))
-                .body("data.termsOfUseAndAccess.license.name", equalTo("CC0 1.0"))
-                .body("data.datasetFields.citation.fields.size()", equalTo(1))
-                .body("data.instructions.size()", equalTo(1))
-                .body("data.instructions[0].instructionField", equalTo("author"))
-                .body("data.instructions[0].instructionText", equalTo("The author data"))
-                .body("data.dataverseAlias", equalTo(dataverseAlias));
-
-        // Template creation should fail if the user lacks dataverse edit permissions
-
-        createTemplateResponse = UtilIT.createTemplate(
-                dataverseAlias,
-                jsonString,
-                secondApiToken
-        );
-        createTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(UNAUTHORIZED.getStatusCode());
-
-        // Get templates
-
-        Response getTemplateResponse = UtilIT.getTemplates(dataverseAlias, apiToken);
-        getTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode())
-                .body("data.size()", equalTo(1))
-                .body("data[0].name", equalTo("Dataverse template"))
-                .body("data[0].isDefault", equalTo(true))
-                .body("data[0].usageCount", equalTo(0))
-                .body("data[0].termsOfUseAndAccess.license.name", equalTo("CC0 1.0"))
-                .body("data[0].datasetFields.citation.fields.size()", equalTo(1))
-                .body("data[0].instructions.size()", equalTo(1))
-                .body("data[0].instructions[0].instructionField", equalTo("author"))
-                .body("data[0].instructions[0].instructionText", equalTo("The author data"))
-                .body("data[0].dataverseAlias", equalTo(dataverseAlias));
-
-        // Templates retrieval should fail if a secondary user lacks dataset creation permissions
-
-        getTemplateResponse = UtilIT.getTemplates(dataverseAlias, secondApiToken);
-        getTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(UNAUTHORIZED.getStatusCode());
-
-        // Templates retrieval should succeed if the secondary user has dataset creation permissions
-
-        UtilIT.setSuperuserStatus(username, true);
-        Response grantRoleResponse = UtilIT.grantRoleOnDataverse(dataverseAlias, DataverseRole.DS_CONTRIBUTOR, "@" + secondUsername, apiToken);
-        grantRoleResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode());
-
-        getTemplateResponse = UtilIT.getTemplates(dataverseAlias, secondApiToken);
-        getTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode());
+    public void testCreateAndGetTemplates() throws JsonParseException {
+            Response createUserResponse = UtilIT.createRandomUser();
+            String apiToken = UtilIT.getApiTokenFromResponse(createUserResponse);
+            String username = UtilIT.getUsernameFromResponse(createUserResponse);
+
+            Response createSecondUserResponse = UtilIT.createRandomUser();
+            String secondApiToken = UtilIT.getApiTokenFromResponse(createSecondUserResponse);
+            String secondUsername = UtilIT.getUsernameFromResponse(createSecondUserResponse);
+
+            /*
+             * We need to make this a non-inherited metadatablocks so the get template will
+             * only get templates from current dv
+             */
+
+            Response createDataverseResponse = UtilIT.createRandomDataverse(apiToken);
+            createDataverseResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(CREATED.getStatusCode());
+            String dataverseAlias = UtilIT.getAliasFromResponse(createDataverseResponse);
+
+            String newName = "New Test Dataverse Name";
+            String newAffiliation = "New Test Dataverse Affiliation";
+            String newDataverseType = Dataverse.DataverseType.TEACHING_COURSES.toString();
+            String[] newContactEmails = new String[] { "new_email@dataverse.com" };
+            String[] newInputLevelNames = new String[] { "geographicCoverage" };
+            String[] newMetadataBlockNames = new String[] { "citation", "geospatial", "biomedical" };
+
+            // Giving the new Dataverse updated metadatablocks so that it will not inherit
+            // templates
+            Response updateDataverseResponse = UtilIT.updateDataverse(
+                            dataverseAlias, dataverseAlias, newName, newAffiliation, newDataverseType, newContactEmails,
+                            newInputLevelNames,
+                            null, newMetadataBlockNames, apiToken,
+                            Boolean.FALSE, Boolean.FALSE, null);
+
+            updateDataverseResponse.then().assertThat()
+                            .statusCode(OK.getStatusCode());
+
+            // Create a template
+
+            String jsonString = """
+                            {
+                              "name": "Dataverse template",
+                              "isDefault": false,
+                              "fields": [
+                                {
+                                  "typeName": "author",
+                                  "value": [
+                                    {
+                                      "authorName": {
+                                        "typeName": "authorName",
+                                        "value": "Belicheck, Bill"
+                                      },
+                                      "authorAffiliation": {
+                                        "typeName": "authorIdentifierScheme",
+                                        "value": "ORCID"
+                                      }
+                                    }
+                                  ]
+                                }
+                              ],
+                              "instructions": [
+                                {
+                                    "instructionField": "author",
+                                    "instructionText": "The author data"
+                                }
+                              ]
+                            }
+                            """;
+
+            Response createTemplateResponse = UtilIT.createTemplate(
+                            dataverseAlias,
+                            jsonString,
+                            apiToken);
+
+            createTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode())
+                            .body("data.name", equalTo("Dataverse template"))
+                            .body("data.isDefault", equalTo(false))
+                            .body("data.usageCount", equalTo(0))
+                            .body("data.termsOfUseAndAccess.license.name", equalTo("CC0 1.0"))
+                            .body("data.datasetFields.citation.fields.size()", equalTo(1))
+                            .body("data.instructions.size()", equalTo(1))
+                            .body("data.instructions[0].instructionField", equalTo("author"))
+                            .body("data.instructions[0].instructionText", equalTo("The author data"))
+                            .body("data.dataverseAlias", equalTo(dataverseAlias));
+
+            Long templateId = createTemplateResponse.body().jsonPath().getLong("data.id");
+
+            //Check for failure due unauthorized user.
+            Response setDefaultResp = UtilIT.setDefaultTemplate(dataverseAlias, templateId, secondApiToken);
+            setDefaultResp.then().assertThat().statusCode(UNAUTHORIZED.getStatusCode());
+            
+            // Set default template
+            setDefaultResp = UtilIT.setDefaultTemplate(dataverseAlias, templateId, apiToken);
+            setDefaultResp.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode());
+
+            // Template creation should fail if the user lacks dataverse edit permissions
+            createTemplateResponse = UtilIT.createTemplate(
+                            dataverseAlias,
+                            jsonString,
+                            secondApiToken);
+            createTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(UNAUTHORIZED.getStatusCode());
+
+            // Get templates and check this one is default now
+            Response getTemplateResponse = UtilIT.getTemplates(dataverseAlias, apiToken);
+            getTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode())
+                            .body("data.size()", equalTo(1))
+                            .body("data[0].name", equalTo("Dataverse template"))
+                            .body("data[0].isDefault", equalTo(true))
+                            .body("data[0].usageCount", equalTo(0))
+                            .body("data[0].termsOfUseAndAccess.license.name", equalTo("CC0 1.0"))
+                            .body("data[0].datasetFields.citation.fields.size()", equalTo(1))
+                            .body("data[0].instructions.size()", equalTo(1))
+                            .body("data[0].instructions[0].instructionField", equalTo("author"))
+                            .body("data[0].instructions[0].instructionText", equalTo("The author data"))
+                            .body("data[0].dataverseAlias", equalTo(dataverseAlias));
+
+            // Remove default template
+            Response removeDefaultResp = UtilIT.removeDefaultTemplate(dataverseAlias, apiToken);
+            removeDefaultResp.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode());       
+
+            //check that template is no longer default.
+            getTemplateResponse = UtilIT.getTemplates(dataverseAlias, apiToken);
+            getTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode())
+                            .body("data.size()", equalTo(1))
+                            .body("data[0].isDefault", equalTo(false));
+
+
+            // Templates retrieval should fail if a secondary user lacks dataset creation
+            // permissions
+
+            getTemplateResponse = UtilIT.getTemplates(dataverseAlias, secondApiToken);
+            getTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(UNAUTHORIZED.getStatusCode());
+
+            // Templates retrieval should succeed if the secondary user has dataset creation
+            // permissions
+
+            UtilIT.setSuperuserStatus(username, true);
+            Response grantRoleResponse = UtilIT.grantRoleOnDataverse(dataverseAlias, DataverseRole.DS_CONTRIBUTOR,
+                            "@" + secondUsername, apiToken);
+            grantRoleResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode());
+
+            getTemplateResponse = UtilIT.getTemplates(dataverseAlias, secondApiToken);
+            getTemplateResponse.then().assertThat().statusCode(OK.getStatusCode());
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/src/test/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/UtilIT.java b/src/test/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/UtilIT.java
index 496ae826e02..57f3441411d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/UtilIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/api/UtilIT.java
@@ -5092,6 +5092,22 @@ public static Response getTemplates(String dataverseAlias, String apiToken) {
                 .header(API_TOKEN_HTTP_HEADER, apiToken)
                 .get("/api/dataverses/" + dataverseAlias + "/templates");
     }
+
+    public static Response setDefaultTemplate(String dataverseAlias, Long templateId, String apiToken) {
+    return given()
+            .contentType(ContentType.JSON)
+            .header(API_TOKEN_HTTP_HEADER, apiToken)
+            .post("/api/dataverses/" + dataverseAlias + "/templates/default/" + templateId);
+    }
+
+    public static Response removeDefaultTemplate(String dataverseAlias, String apiToken) {
+    return given()
+            .contentType(ContentType.JSON)
+            .header(API_TOKEN_HTTP_HEADER, apiToken)
+            .delete("/api/dataverses/" + dataverseAlias + "/templates/default");
+    }
+
+
     
     /**
      * Gets the tool URL for a dataset with optional parameters