diff --git a/.changeset/lucky-foxes-hide.md b/.changeset/lucky-foxes-hide.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4d42a2854c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/lucky-foxes-hide.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-catalog': patch
+---
+
+Turn on `pagination` by default in new frontend system, and also make configurable
diff --git a/plugins/catalog/report-alpha.api.md b/plugins/catalog/report-alpha.api.md
index 4be914a69d..4e00a5185e 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog/report-alpha.api.md
+++ b/plugins/catalog/report-alpha.api.md
@@ -1012,9 +1012,26 @@ const _default: FrontendPlugin<
     }>;
     'page:catalog': ExtensionDefinition<{
       config: {
+        pagination:
+          | boolean
+          | {
+              mode: 'offset' | 'cursor';
+              offset?: number | undefined;
+              limit?: number | undefined;
+            };
+      } & {
         path: string | undefined;
       };
       configInput: {
+        pagination?:
+          | boolean
+          | {
+              mode: 'offset' | 'cursor';
+              offset?: number | undefined;
+              limit?: number | undefined;
+            }
+          | undefined;
+      } & {
         path?: string | undefined;
       };
       output:
diff --git a/plugins/catalog/src/alpha/pages.tsx b/plugins/catalog/src/alpha/pages.tsx
index c1f5b55341..81ec0c5cb9 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog/src/alpha/pages.tsx
+++ b/plugins/catalog/src/alpha/pages.tsx
@@ -41,7 +41,22 @@ export const catalogPage = PageBlueprint.makeWithOverrides({
   inputs: {
     filters: createExtensionInput([coreExtensionData.reactElement]),
   },
-  factory(originalFactory, { inputs }) {
+  config: {
+    schema: {
+      pagination: z =>
+        z
+          .union([
+            z.boolean(),
+            z.object({
+              mode: z.enum(['cursor', 'offset']),
+              limit: z.number().optional(),
+              offset: z.number().optional(),
+            }),
+          ])
+          .default(true),
+    },
+  },
+  factory(originalFactory, { inputs, config }) {
     return originalFactory({
       defaultPath: '/catalog',
       routeRef: convertLegacyRouteRef(rootRouteRef),
@@ -50,7 +65,12 @@ export const catalogPage = PageBlueprint.makeWithOverrides({
         const filters = inputs.filters.map(filter =>
           filter.get(coreExtensionData.reactElement),
         );
-        return compatWrapper(<BaseCatalogPage filters={<>{filters}</>} />);
+        return compatWrapper(
+          <BaseCatalogPage
+            filters={<>{filters}</>}
+            pagination={config.pagination}
+          />,
+        );
       },
     });
   },