diff --git a/.changeset/modern-peaches-clean.md b/.changeset/modern-peaches-clean.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..13dbb75183
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/modern-peaches-clean.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/create-app': patch
+---
+
+Updated the default app index template at `packages/app/public/index.html` to have a fallback value for the `app.title` config.
diff --git a/packages/app/public/index.html b/packages/app/public/index.html
index a3c3ef19b8..231e96b309 100644
--- a/packages/app/public/index.html
+++ b/packages/app/public/index.html
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
href="<%= publicPath %>/safari-pinned-tab.svg"
color="#5bbad5"
/>
- <%= config.getString('app.title') %>
+ <%= config.getOptionalString('app.title') ?? 'Backstage' %>
<% if (config.has('app.datadogRum')) { %>