diff --git a/plane-src/apps/api/plane/api/serializers/issue.py b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/api/serializers/issue.py
index 6468ddb..c0451bf 100644
--- a/plane-src/apps/api/plane/api/serializers/issue.py
+++ b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/api/serializers/issue.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from plane.utils.content_validator import (
     validate_html_content,
     validate_binary_data,
 )
+from plane.utils.date_utils import set_default_issue_start_date
 
 from .base import BaseSerializer
 from .cycle import CycleLiteSerializer, CycleSerializer
@@ -73,6 +74,9 @@ class IssueSerializer(BaseSerializer):
         exclude = ["description_json", "description_stripped"]
 
     def validate(self, data):
+        if self.instance is None:
+            data = set_default_issue_start_date(data)
+
         if (
             data.get("start_date", None) is not None
             and data.get("target_date", None) is not None
diff --git a/plane-src/apps/api/plane/app/serializers/issue.py b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/app/serializers/issue.py
index ea187f1..261ef76 100644
--- a/plane-src/apps/api/plane/app/serializers/issue.py
+++ b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/app/serializers/issue.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ from plane.utils.content_validator import (
     validate_html_content,
     validate_binary_data,
 )
+from plane.utils.date_utils import set_default_issue_start_date
 
 
 class IssueFlatSerializer(BaseSerializer):
@@ -124,6 +125,9 @@ class IssueCreateSerializer(BaseSerializer):
         allow_triage = self.context.get("allow_triage_state", False)
         state_manager = State.triage_objects if allow_triage else State.objects
 
+        if self.instance is None:
+            attrs = set_default_issue_start_date(attrs)
+
         if (
             attrs.get("start_date", None) is not None
             and attrs.get("target_date", None) is not None
diff --git a/plane-src/apps/api/plane/space/serializer/issue.py b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/space/serializer/issue.py
index 51dd1f4..7b3f891 100644
--- a/plane-src/apps/api/plane/space/serializer/issue.py
+++ b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/space/serializer/issue.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ from plane.utils.content_validator import (
     validate_html_content,
     validate_binary_data,
 )
+from plane.utils.date_utils import set_default_issue_start_date
 
 
 class IssueStateFlatSerializer(BaseSerializer):
@@ -277,6 +278,9 @@ class IssueCreateSerializer(BaseSerializer):
         return data
 
     def validate(self, data):
+        if self.instance is None:
+            data = set_default_issue_start_date(data)
+
         if (
             data.get("start_date", None) is not None
             and data.get("target_date", None) is not None
diff --git a/plane-src/apps/api/plane/tests/unit/utils/test_date_utils.py b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/tests/unit/utils/test_date_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0e76e01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/tests/unit/utils/test_date_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2023-present Plane Software, Inc. and contributors
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+# See the LICENSE file for details.
+
+from datetime import date
+
+import pytest
+
+from plane.utils.date_utils import set_default_issue_start_date
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+class TestDefaultIssueStartDate:
+    def test_sets_today_for_future_target_date(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr("plane.utils.date_utils.timezone.localdate", lambda: date(2026, 4, 25))
+
+        attrs = set_default_issue_start_date({"target_date": date(2026, 5, 1)})
+
+        assert attrs["start_date"] == date(2026, 4, 25)
+
+    def test_preserves_explicit_start_date(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr("plane.utils.date_utils.timezone.localdate", lambda: date(2026, 4, 25))
+
+        attrs = set_default_issue_start_date(
+            {
+                "start_date": date(2026, 4, 20),
+                "target_date": date(2026, 5, 1),
+            }
+        )
+
+        assert attrs["start_date"] == date(2026, 4, 20)
+
+    def test_leaves_past_target_without_start_date(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr("plane.utils.date_utils.timezone.localdate", lambda: date(2026, 4, 25))
+
+        attrs = set_default_issue_start_date({"target_date": date(2026, 4, 20)})
+
+        assert "start_date" not in attrs
diff --git a/plane-src/apps/api/plane/utils/date_utils.py b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/utils/date_utils.py
index d25d5b1..1bd2c17 100644
--- a/plane-src/apps/api/plane/utils/date_utils.py
+++ b/plane-src/apps/api/plane/utils/date_utils.py
@@ -122,6 +122,16 @@ def get_chart_period_range(
     return period_ranges.get(date_filter, None)
 
 
+def set_default_issue_start_date(attrs: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    target_date = attrs.get("target_date")
+    if attrs.get("start_date") is None and target_date is not None:
+        today = timezone.localdate()
+        if target_date >= today:
+            attrs["start_date"] = today
+
+    return attrs
+
+
 def get_analytics_filters(
     slug: str,
     user: User,