diff --git a/src/core/model/texture.ts b/src/core/model/texture.ts
index 6c8f70d3..6a68952e 100644
--- a/src/core/model/texture.ts
+++ b/src/core/model/texture.ts
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function refFor(asset: TextureAsset, frame: TextureFrame | null): TextureRef | n
 }
 
 export const NO_BORDERS: FrameBorders = { left: 0, top: 0, right: 0, bottom: 0 };
-export const DEFAULT_FILL: FrameFill = 'stretch';
+export const DEFAULT_FILL: FrameFill = 'repeat';
 
 /** Whole pixels of the frame that must stay between two opposite borders (see `normalizeBorders`). */
 export const MIN_SLICE_MIDDLE = 1;
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ export function frameBorders(frame: TextureFrame): FrameBorders {
 }
 
 export function frameFill(frame: TextureFrame): FrameFill {
-  return frame.fill === 'repeat' ? 'repeat' : DEFAULT_FILL;
+  return frame.fill === 'stretch' ? 'stretch' : DEFAULT_FILL;
 }
 
 export function hasBorders(border: FrameBorders): boolean {
@@ -181,9 +181,9 @@ export function setFrameSlice(frame: TextureFrame, slice: FrameSlice): void {
   const border = normalizeBorders(slice.border, frame.w, frame.h);
   if (hasBorders(border)) frame.border = border;
   else delete frame.border;
-  // Kept even without borders: a fill chosen before the borders are dragged would otherwise
-  // snap back to "stretch" under the hand that just set it.
-  if (slice.fill === 'repeat') frame.fill = 'repeat';
+  // Only the fill that differs from `DEFAULT_FILL` is written. Kept even without borders: a fill
+  // chosen before the borders are dragged would otherwise snap back under the hand that just set it.
+  if (slice.fill !== DEFAULT_FILL) frame.fill = slice.fill;
   else delete frame.fill;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/store/serialize.ts b/src/core/store/serialize.ts
index fe61b151..44b1f972 100644
--- a/src/core/store/serialize.ts
+++ b/src/core/store/serialize.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,13 @@ import {
 import { PROJECT_FORMAT_VERSION, type Project } from '../model/Project';
 import { readScope } from '../model/Scope';
 import type { SceneObject } from '../model/SceneObject';
-import { isTextureFile, normalizeBorders, normalizeFrameRect, setFrameSlice } from '../model/texture';
+import {
+  DEFAULT_FILL,
+  isTextureFile,
+  normalizeBorders,
+  normalizeFrameRect,
+  setFrameSlice,
+} from '../model/texture';
 import { hasParentCycle } from '../model/walk';
 import {
   DECLARED_PORT_KINDS,
@@ -448,7 +454,7 @@ function normalizeTexture(
         rect.w,
         rect.h,
       ),
-      fill: f.fill === 'repeat' ? 'repeat' : 'stretch',
+      fill: f.fill === 'stretch' ? 'stretch' : DEFAULT_FILL,
     });
     frames.push(frame);
   }
diff --git a/src/editor/inspector/frameSection.ts b/src/editor/inspector/frameSection.ts
index 31150c43..8f9f4f7d 100644
--- a/src/editor/inspector/frameSection.ts
+++ b/src/editor/inspector/frameSection.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import type { FrameBorders, TextureAsset, TextureFrame } from '../../core/model/
 import { type PropertyValue, textOf } from '../../core/model/Properties';
 import { findAssetOf, type Project } from '../../core/model/Project';
 import {
+  DEFAULT_FILL,
   frameBorders,
   frameFill,
   frameRect,
@@ -125,16 +126,16 @@ function fillRow(host: InspectorHost, assetId: string, frameId: string): void {
       key: 'fill',
       label: 'Fill',
       kind: 'enum',
-      default: 'stretch',
+      default: DEFAULT_FILL,
       options: [
-        { value: 'stretch', label: 'Stretch' },
         { value: 'repeat', label: 'Repeat' },
+        { value: 'stretch', label: 'Stretch' },
       ],
     },
-    frame ? frameFill(frame) : 'stretch',
+    frame ? frameFill(frame) : DEFAULT_FILL,
     sliceHandlers(host, assetId, frameId, (input, slice) => ({
       ...slice,
-      fill: textOf(input) === 'repeat' ? 'repeat' : 'stretch',
+      fill: textOf(input) === 'stretch' ? 'stretch' : 'repeat',
     })),
   );
   host.fields.set('fill', row);
diff --git a/tests/core/frame-commands.test.ts b/tests/core/frame-commands.test.ts
index c6312fea..d7fd9f8b 100644
--- a/tests/core/frame-commands.test.ts
+++ b/tests/core/frame-commands.test.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../src/core/commands/frameCommands';
 import type { TextureAsset, TextureFrame } from '../../src/core/model/Asset';
 import { findAsset } from '../../src/core/model/Project';
-import { DEFAULT_SLICE, findFrame, type FrameRect } from '../../src/core/model/texture';
+import { DEFAULT_SLICE, findFrame, frameFill, type FrameRect } from '../../src/core/model/texture';
 import { makeProject } from '../helpers';
 
 const FILE = `${'ab'.repeat(32)}.png`;
@@ -275,11 +275,11 @@ describe('SliceFramesCommand', () => {
     sheet.stack.execute(
       new SetFrameSliceCommand(sheet.textureId, frameId, {
         border: { left: 8, top: 8, right: 8, bottom: 8 },
-        fill: 'repeat',
+        fill: 'stretch',
       }),
     );
     expect(frame().border).toEqual({ left: 8, top: 8, right: 8, bottom: 8 });
-    expect(frame().fill).toBe('repeat');
+    expect(frame().fill).toBe('stretch');
 
     sheet.stack.undo();
     // Absent, not zero: a frame nobody sliced saves exactly as it did before #41.
@@ -287,6 +287,22 @@ describe('SliceFramesCommand', () => {
     expect(frame().fill).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
+  it('repeats unless told to stretch, and writes the fill only when it is not the default', () => {
+    const sheet = makeSheet();
+    const frameId = addFrame(sheet, { x: 0, y: 0, w: 24, h: 24 });
+    const frame = () => sheet.frames().find((f) => f.id === frameId)!;
+    expect(frameFill(frame())).toBe('repeat');
+
+    sheet.stack.execute(
+      new SetFrameSliceCommand(sheet.textureId, frameId, {
+        border: { left: 8, top: 8, right: 8, bottom: 8 },
+        fill: 'repeat',
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(frame().fill).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(frameFill(frame())).toBe('repeat');
+  });
+
   it('keeps two opposite borders from eating the whole frame', () => {
     const sheet = makeSheet();
     const frameId = addFrame(sheet, { x: 0, y: 0, w: 24, h: 24 });
diff --git a/tests/core/serialize.test.ts b/tests/core/serialize.test.ts
index 83f5adf3..270de4d2 100644
--- a/tests/core/serialize.test.ts
+++ b/tests/core/serialize.test.ts
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ describe('serialize', () => {
               w: 24,
               h: 24,
               border: { left: 8, right: 8 },
-              fill: 'repeat',
+              fill: 'stretch',
             },
             { id: 'f2', name: 'Plain', x: 24, y: 0, w: 24, h: 24 },
             {
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ describe('serialize', () => {
     if (texture.type !== 'texture') throw new Error('wrong types');
     const [sliced, plain, greedy] = texture.frames;
     expect(sliced?.border).toEqual({ left: 8, top: 0, right: 8, bottom: 0 });
-    expect(sliced?.fill).toBe('repeat');
+    // Only the fill that is not the default is written; an unknown one reads as the default.
+    expect(sliced?.fill).toBe('stretch');
     expect(plain?.border).toBeUndefined();
     expect(plain?.fill).toBeUndefined();
     // Measured against the frame, not the image, and never leaving it without a middle.
diff --git a/tools/e2e/37-nine-slice.mjs b/tools/e2e/37-nine-slice.mjs
index d952ecc5..82e63e0e 100644
--- a/tools/e2e/37-nine-slice.mjs
+++ b/tools/e2e/37-nine-slice.mjs
@@ -178,8 +178,9 @@ export async function nineSlice(t) {
     JSON.stringify({ sliced: slicedEdge, stretched: stretchedEdge }),
   );
 
-  // 37d. Stretch against repeat, picked in the inspector. The white stripe down the left of the
-  //      middle is the witness: stretched there is one of it, tiled there is one per 8 units.
+  // 37d. Repeat against stretch, picked in the inspector. The white stripe down the left of the
+  //      middle is the witness: tiled there is one per 8 units, stretched there is one of it.
+  //      Repeat is the default, so a frame nobody picked a fill for already tiles.
   await mutate(`
     const f = __gm.state.project.assets.find((a) => a.id === ${JSON.stringify(texture.id)})
       .frames.find((f) => f.id === 'ns-frame');
@@ -194,28 +195,30 @@ export async function nineSlice(t) {
     }
     return runs;
   };
-  const stretchedStripes = await stripes();
+  const repeatedStripes = await stripes();
 
   await evaluate(
     `__gm.state.select({ kind: 'frame', assetId: ${JSON.stringify(texture.id)}, frameId: 'ns-frame' })`,
   );
   await showTab('texture');
-  await clickText('Stretch');
   await clickText('Repeat');
+  // Repeat first: the default leads the list.
+  const offered = (await json('__gm.overlayTexts()')).filter((text) => /^(Repeat|Stretch)$/.test(text));
+  await clickText('Stretch');
   await settle();
   const picked = await frame();
   check(
-    'the inspector offers the fill beside the borders, and picking it writes the frame',
-    picked.fill === 'repeat',
-    JSON.stringify(picked),
+    'the inspector offers repeat before stretch, and picking stretch writes the frame',
+    picked.fill === 'stretch' && offered.join() === 'Repeat,Stretch',
+    JSON.stringify({ picked, offered }),
   );
   await showTab('scene');
   await sleep(400);
-  const repeatedStripes = await stripes();
+  const stretchedStripes = await stripes();
   check(
-    'a repeated middle tiles the picture instead of stretching it once',
-    stretchedStripes === 1 && repeatedStripes > 15,
-    JSON.stringify({ stretched: stretchedStripes, repeated: repeatedStripes }),
+    'a frame repeats unless told otherwise, and stretch draws the middle once',
+    repeatedStripes > 15 && stretchedStripes === 1,
+    JSON.stringify({ repeated: repeatedStripes, stretched: stretchedStripes }),
   );
   await shot('39-nine-slice-repeat');