diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings.cs
index 9eadbb2f34..4ed5027539 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings.cs
@@ -1305,6 +1305,25 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration
 			}
 		}
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the default document type property used when adding new properties through the back-office
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <value>Configured text for the default document type property</value>
+        /// <remarks>If undefined, 'Textstring' is the default</remarks>
+        public static string DefaultDocumentTypeProperty
+        {
+            get 
+            {
+                var defaultDocumentTypeProperty = GetKey("/settings/content/defaultDocumentTypeProperty");
+                if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(defaultDocumentTypeProperty))
+                {
+                    defaultDocumentTypeProperty = "Textstring";
+                }
+
+                return defaultDocumentTypeProperty;
+            }
+        }
+
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Configuration regarding webservices
 		/// </summary>
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI/config/umbracoSettings.config b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI/config/umbracoSettings.config
index e5e88a781a..4510e6ae2f 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI/config/umbracoSettings.config
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI/config/umbracoSettings.config
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@
     
     <!-- These file types will not be allowed to be uploaded via the upload control for media and content -->
     <disallowedUploadFiles>ashx,aspx,ascx,config,cshtml,vbhtml,asmx,air,axd</disallowedUploadFiles>
+
+    <!-- Defines the default document type property used when adding properties in the back-office (if missing or empty, defaults to Textstring -->
+    <defaultDocumentTypeProperty>Textstring</defaultDocumentTypeProperty>
   </content>
 
   <security>
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/umbraco.presentation/umbraco/controls/GenericProperties/GenericProperty.ascx.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/umbraco.presentation/umbraco/controls/GenericProperties/GenericProperty.ascx.cs
index 4106275165..7390d4fbd5 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/umbraco.presentation/umbraco/controls/GenericProperties/GenericProperty.ascx.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/umbraco.presentation/umbraco/controls/GenericProperties/GenericProperty.ascx.cs
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ namespace umbraco.controls.GenericProperties
 			tbValidation.Text = "";
 			tbDescription.Text = "";
 			ddlTab.SelectedIndex = 0;
-			ddlTypes.SelectedIndex = 0;
+            SetDefaultDocumentTypeProperty();
 			checkMandatory.Checked = false;
 		}
 
@@ -195,13 +195,24 @@ namespace umbraco.controls.GenericProperties
 			if (_dataTypeDefinitions != null) 
 			{
 				ddlTypes.Items.Clear();
+                var itemSelected = false;
 				foreach(cms.businesslogic.datatype.DataTypeDefinition dt in _dataTypeDefinitions) 
 				{
-					ListItem li = new ListItem(dt.Text, dt.Id.ToString());
-					if (_pt != null && _pt.DataTypeDefinition.Id == dt.Id)
-						li.Selected = true;
+					var li = new ListItem(dt.Text, dt.Id.ToString());
+                    if ((_pt != null && _pt.DataTypeDefinition.Id == dt.Id))
+                    {
+                        li.Selected = true;
+                        itemSelected = true;
+                    }
+
 					ddlTypes.Items.Add(li);
 				}
+
+                // If item not selected from previous edit or load, set to default according to settings
+                if (!itemSelected)
+                {
+                    SetDefaultDocumentTypeProperty();
+                }
 			}
 
 			// tabs
@@ -234,6 +245,19 @@ namespace umbraco.controls.GenericProperties
 				tbDescription.Text = _pt.GetRawDescription();
 		}
 
+        private void SetDefaultDocumentTypeProperty()
+        {
+            var itemToSelect = ddlTypes.Items.FindByText(UmbracoSettings.DefaultDocumentTypeProperty);
+            if (itemToSelect != null)
+            {
+                itemToSelect.Selected = true;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ddlTypes.SelectedIndex = -1;
+            }
+        }
+
 		protected void defaultDeleteHandler(object sender, System.EventArgs e) 
 		{
 		
diff --git a/src/umbraco.businesslogic/UmbracoSettings.cs b/src/umbraco.businesslogic/UmbracoSettings.cs
index 1b82199d38..647ce1dd0a 100644
--- a/src/umbraco.businesslogic/UmbracoSettings.cs
+++ b/src/umbraco.businesslogic/UmbracoSettings.cs
@@ -581,6 +581,16 @@ namespace umbraco
             get { return Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings.IconPickerBehaviour; }
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the default document type property used when adding new properties through the back-office
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <value>Configured text for the default document type property</value>
+        /// <remarks>If undefined, 'Textstring' is the default</remarks>
+        public static string DefaultDocumentTypeProperty
+        {
+            get { return Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings.DefaultDocumentTypeProperty; }
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Configuration regarding webservices
         /// </summary>