diff --git a/src/aiida/manage/manager.py b/src/aiida/manage/manager.py
index c84b39f903..877d7d6ada 100644
--- a/src/aiida/manage/manager.py
+++ b/src/aiida/manage/manager.py
@@ -243,7 +243,9 @@ def get_backend(self) -> 'StorageBackend':
 
     def get_profile_storage(self) -> 'StorageBackend':
         """Return the current profile's storage backend, loading it if necessary."""
+        from aiida.cmdline.utils.defaults import get_default_profile
         from aiida.common import ConfigurationError
+        from aiida.common.exceptions import InvalidOperation
         from aiida.common.log import configure_logging
         from aiida.manage.profile_access import ProfileAccessManager
 
@@ -253,10 +255,16 @@ def get_profile_storage(self) -> 'StorageBackend':
 
         # get the currently loaded profile
         profile = self.get_profile()
+
+        # try to load the default profile
         if profile is None:
-            raise ConfigurationError(
-                'Could not determine the current profile. Consider loading a profile using `aiida.load_profile()`.'
-            )
+            try:
+                default_profile = get_default_profile()
+                profile = self.load_profile(default_profile)
+            except (TypeError, InvalidOperation) as e:
+                raise ConfigurationError(
+                    'Default profile couldn\'t be loaded. Consider loading one manually via `aiida.load_profile()`.'
+                ) from e
 
         # request access to the profile (for example, if it is being used by a maintenance operation)
         ProfileAccessManager(profile).request_access()