Notion API and MCP now show a Status property's default option
TL;DR
On October 22, 2026 Notion added a read-only default_option field to Status properties in the API. It names the option a page shows when its Status is empty, or is null when no default is set. Notion MCP's notion-fetch shows the same default in each data source schema, and @notionhq/client v5.28.0 adds the field.
- Status
- Live
- Released
- Plans
- Not specified
What changed
Status property schemas returned by the Notion API now include default_option:
- It holds the name of the option that pages display when they have no Status value set.
- It is
nullwhen the property has no default. - It is read-only. You can read it, not set it through the API.
- It appears wherever the API returns a data source's properties, such as Retrieve a data source.
In Notion MCP, notion-fetch now shows the default in each data source's schema. The JavaScript SDK, @notionhq/client, added the field to its Status type in v5.28.0.
Notion's own guidance is to look the default up by name in the property's options rather than assume the first option is the default.
Why it matters
Any integration or agent that reads task boards can misreport work if it treats an empty Status as "no status". In Notion, an empty Status shows the default option, for example "Not started". Until now an API client had no reliable way to know which option that was.
- Agents and automations that count or route tasks by Status can now treat empty values the same way the Notion UI does.
- Scripts that assumed the first option is the default should switch to
default_option, since teams reorder options. - MCP clients such as Claude or Cursor get the default in the schema from
notion-fetch, so prompts no longer need to state it.
This is the latest in a run of schema and MCP fixes this month. See the October MCP tool additions and the October 20 search split.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the default Status option from the Notion API?
Read default_option on the Status property in the data source schema, then find the option with that name in the property's options. The field was added on October 22, 2026.
Can I change a Status property's default through the Notion API?
No. Notion documents default_option as read-only. Change the default in the Notion app.
What does an empty Status mean in Notion API responses?
It means the page shows the property's default option in Notion. If default_option is null, the property has no default and the page shows no status.