diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb
index 1db4279ef2..a40104653a 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ def show
     else
       @scripts = Script.all(@project.directory)
       @valid_project = Script.clusters?
-      flash.now[:alert] = I18n.t("dashboard.jobs_project_invalid_configuration_clusters") unless @valid_project
+      @valid_scripts = Script.scripts?(@project.directory)
+
+      alert_messages = []
+      alert_messages << I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_project_invalid_configuration_clusters') unless @valid_project
+      alert_messages << I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_project_invalid_configuration_scripts') if @scripts.any? && !@valid_scripts
+      flash.now[:alert] = alert_messages.join(' ') if alert_messages.any?
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/scripts_controller.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/scripts_controller.rb
index fe93fdaae0..2359e2d195 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/scripts_controller.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/scripts_controller.rb
@@ -23,9 +23,12 @@ def new
   def create
     opts = { project_dir: @project.directory }.merge(create_script_params[:script])
     @script = Script.new(opts)
+    default_script_created = @script.create_default_script
 
     if @script.save
-      redirect_to project_path(params[:project_id]), notice: I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_scripts_created')
+      notice_messages = [I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_scripts_created')]
+      notice_messages << I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_scripts_default_created') if default_script_created
+      redirect_to project_path(params[:project_id]), notice: notice_messages.join(' ')
     else
       redirect_to project_path(params[:project_id]), alert: @script.errors[:save].last
     end
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/models/script.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/models/script.rb
index ce7157d740..82f73f46b1 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/models/script.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/models/script.rb
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ def clusters?
       cluster_attribute = SmartAttributes::AttributeFactory.build('auto_batch_clusters', {})
       cluster_attribute.select_choices(hide_excludable: false).any?
     end
+
+    def scripts?(project_dir)
+      script_attribute = SmartAttributes::AttributeFactory.build('auto_scripts', { directory: project_dir })
+      script_attribute.select_choices(hide_excludable: false).any?
+    end
   end
 
   def initialize(opts = {})
@@ -193,12 +198,28 @@ def most_recent_job_cluster
     most_recent_job['cluster']
   end
 
+  def create_default_script
+    return false if Script.scripts?(project_dir) || default_script_path.exist?
+
+    script_content = <<~DEFAULT_SCRIPT
+      #!/bin/bash
+      # Sample script to configure project defaults. Delete when other scripts are available.
+      echo "Hello World"
+    DEFAULT_SCRIPT
+    File.open(default_script_path, 'w+') { |file| file.write(script_content) }
+    true
+  end
+
   private
 
   def self.script_path(root_dir, script_id)
     Pathname.new(File.join(Script.scripts_dir(root_dir), script_id.to_s))
   end
 
+  def default_script_path
+    Pathname(File.join(project_dir, 'hello_world.sh'))
+  end
+
   def self.script_form_file(script_path)
     File.join(script_path, "form.yml")
   end
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/config/locales/en.yml b/apps/dashboard/config/locales/en.yml
index d56a09a509..ef30f41313 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/apps/dashboard/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -237,12 +237,14 @@ en:
     jobs_project_save_error: "Cannot save manifest to %{path}"
     jobs_project_generic_error: "There was an error processing your request: %{error}"
     jobs_project_invalid_configuration_clusters: "An HPC cluster is required. Contact your administrator to add one to the system."
+    jobs_project_invalid_configuration_scripts: "An executable script is required for your project. Upload a script using the file application."
 
     jobs_scripts_created: "Script successfully created!"
+    jobs_scripts_default_created: "A 'hello_world.sh' was also added to this project."
     jobs_scripts_updated: "Script manifest updated!"
     jobs_scripts_not_found: "Cannot find script %{script_id}"
     jobs_scripts_deleted: "Script successfully deleted!"
-    jobs_scripts_submitted: "Successfully submited job %{job_id}."
+    jobs_scripts_submitted: "Successfully submitted job %{job_id}."
     jobs_scripts_delete_script_confirmation: "Delete all contents of script?"
     jobs_scripts_fixed_field: "Fixed Value"
 
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/test/models/script_test.rb b/apps/dashboard/test/models/script_test.rb
index efcdf548c2..b478b28415 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/test/models/script_test.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/test/models/script_test.rb
@@ -14,18 +14,6 @@ class ScriptTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     assert target.send('attribute_parameter?', 'account_fixed')
   end
 
-  test 'clusters? return false when auto_batch_clusters returns no clusters' do
-    Configuration.stubs(:job_clusters).returns([])
-
-    assert_equal false, Script.clusters?
-  end
-
-  test 'clusters? return true when auto_batch_clusters returns clusters' do
-    Configuration.stubs(:job_clusters).returns(OodCore::Clusters.load_file('test/fixtures/config/clusters.d'))
-
-    assert_equal true, Script.clusters?
-  end
-
   test 'creates script' do
     Dir.mktmpdir do |tmp|
       projects_path = Pathname.new(tmp)
@@ -51,6 +39,18 @@ class ScriptTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  test 'clusters? return false when auto_batch_clusters returns no clusters' do
+    Configuration.stubs(:job_clusters).returns([])
+
+    assert_equal false, Script.clusters?
+  end
+
+  test 'clusters? return true when auto_batch_clusters returns clusters' do
+    Configuration.stubs(:job_clusters).returns(OodCore::Clusters.load_file('test/fixtures/config/clusters.d'))
+
+    assert_equal true, Script.clusters?
+  end
+
   test 'deletes script should succeed when directory does not exists' do
     Dir.mktmpdir do |tmp|
       projects_path = Pathname.new(tmp)
@@ -67,4 +67,58 @@ class ScriptTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
       assert_not Dir.entries("#{projects_path}/.ondemand/scripts").include?('33')
     end
   end
+
+  test 'scripts? returns true when there are scripts in the project directory' do
+    Dir.mktmpdir do |tmp|
+      projects_path = Pathname.new(tmp)
+      OodAppkit.stubs(:dataroot).returns(projects_path)
+
+      script_content = <<~TEST_SCRIPT
+        echo "Testing Scripts"
+      TEST_SCRIPT
+      File.open(File.join(projects_path, 'test_script.sh'), 'w+') { |file| file.write(script_content) }
+
+      assert_equal true, Script.scripts?(projects_path)
+    end
+  end
+
+  test 'scripts? returns false when there are no scripts in the project directory' do
+    Dir.mktmpdir do |tmp|
+      projects_path = Pathname.new(tmp)
+      OodAppkit.stubs(:dataroot).returns(projects_path)
+
+      assert_equal false, Script.scripts?(projects_path)
+    end
+  end
+
+  test 'create_default_script should create hello_world.sh script' do
+    Dir.mktmpdir do |tmp|
+      projects_path = Pathname.new(tmp)
+      OodAppkit.stubs(:dataroot).returns(projects_path)
+
+      target = Script.new({ project_dir: projects_path.to_s, id: 1234, title: 'Default Script' })
+      created_script = target.create_default_script
+
+      assert_equal true, created_script
+      assert_equal true, Pathname(File.join(projects_path, 'hello_world.sh')).exist?
+    end
+  end
+
+  test 'create_default_script should not create hello_world.sh script if there is an script already in the project' do
+    Dir.mktmpdir do |tmp|
+      projects_path = Pathname.new(tmp)
+      OodAppkit.stubs(:dataroot).returns(projects_path)
+
+      script_content = <<~TEST_SCRIPT
+        echo "Testing Scripts"
+      TEST_SCRIPT
+      File.open(File.join(projects_path, 'test_script.sh'), 'w+') { |file| file.write(script_content) }
+
+      target = Script.new({ project_dir: projects_path.to_s, id: 1234, title: 'With Script' })
+      created_script = target.create_default_script
+
+      assert_equal false, created_script
+      assert_equal false, Pathname(File.join(projects_path, 'hello_world.sh')).exist?
+    end
+  end
 end