diff --git a/server/events/project_finder_test.go b/server/events/project_finder_test.go
index 5a0d0304d0..f6e95a3df5 100644
--- a/server/events/project_finder_test.go
+++ b/server/events/project_finder_test.go
@@ -276,10 +276,7 @@ func TestDefaultProjectFinder_DetermineProjectsViaConfig(t *testing.T) {
 				Projects: []valid.Project{
 					{
 						Dir: ".",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							Enabled:      false,
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf"},
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan().SetEnabled(false),
 					},
 				},
 			},
@@ -292,10 +289,7 @@ func TestDefaultProjectFinder_DetermineProjectsViaConfig(t *testing.T) {
 				Projects: []valid.Project{
 					{
 						Dir: ".",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							Enabled:      true,
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf"},
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 			},
@@ -308,10 +302,7 @@ func TestDefaultProjectFinder_DetermineProjectsViaConfig(t *testing.T) {
 				Projects: []valid.Project{
 					{
 						Dir: "project",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							Enabled:      true,
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf"},
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 			},
diff --git a/server/events/yaml/parser_validator_test.go b/server/events/yaml/parser_validator_test.go
index ae332636f9..33265aea8a 100644
--- a/server/events/yaml/parser_validator_test.go
+++ b/server/events/yaml/parser_validator_test.go
@@ -205,10 +205,7 @@ projects:
 						Workspace:        "default",
 						WorkflowName:     nil,
 						TerraformVersion: nil,
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 						ApplyRequirements: nil,
 					},
 				},
@@ -220,6 +217,24 @@ projects:
 			input: `
 version: 3
 projects:
+- dir: "."`,
+			exp: valid.RepoCfg{
+				Version: 3,
+				Projects: []valid.Project{
+					{
+						Dir:       ".",
+						Workspace: "default",
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
+					},
+				},
+				Workflows: make(map[string]valid.Workflow),
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			description: "autoplan should be enabled by default if custom when_modified",
+			input: `
+version: 3
+projects:
 - dir: "."
   autoplan:
     when_modified: ["**/*.tf*"]
@@ -252,10 +267,7 @@ projects:
 					{
 						Dir:       ".",
 						Workspace: "default",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 				Workflows: make(map[string]valid.Workflow),
@@ -275,10 +287,7 @@ workflows: ~
 					{
 						Dir:       ".",
 						Workspace: "default",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 				Workflows: make(map[string]valid.Workflow),
@@ -303,10 +312,7 @@ workflows:
 					{
 						Dir:       ".",
 						Workspace: "default",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 				Workflows: map[string]valid.Workflow{
@@ -338,10 +344,7 @@ workflows:
 						Workspace:        "myworkspace",
 						WorkflowName:     String("myworkflow"),
 						TerraformVersion: tfVersion,
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 						ApplyRequirements: []string{"approved"},
 					},
 				},
@@ -355,7 +358,7 @@ workflows:
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			description: "project field with autoplan",
+			description: "project field with autoplan disabled",
 			input: `
 version: 3
 projects:
@@ -376,10 +379,7 @@ workflows:
 						Workspace:        "myworkspace",
 						WorkflowName:     String("myworkflow"),
 						TerraformVersion: tfVersion,
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      false,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan().SetEnabled(false),
 						ApplyRequirements: []string{"approved"},
 					},
 				},
@@ -414,10 +414,7 @@ workflows:
 						Workspace:        "myworkspace",
 						WorkflowName:     String("myworkflow"),
 						TerraformVersion: tfVersion,
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      false,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan().SetEnabled(false),
 						ApplyRequirements: []string{"mergeable"},
 					},
 				},
@@ -452,10 +449,7 @@ workflows:
 						Workspace:        "myworkspace",
 						WorkflowName:     String("myworkflow"),
 						TerraformVersion: tfVersion,
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      false,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan().SetEnabled(false),
 						ApplyRequirements: []string{"mergeable", "approved"},
 					},
 				},
@@ -566,19 +560,13 @@ projects:
 						Name:      String("myname"),
 						Dir:       ".",
 						Workspace: "workspace",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 					{
 						Name:      String("myname2"),
 						Dir:       ".",
 						Workspace: "workspace",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 				Workflows: map[string]valid.Workflow{},
@@ -607,10 +595,7 @@ workflows:
 					{
 						Dir:       ".",
 						Workspace: "default",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 				Workflows: map[string]valid.Workflow{
@@ -669,10 +654,7 @@ workflows:
 					{
 						Dir:       ".",
 						Workspace: "default",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 				Workflows: map[string]valid.Workflow{
@@ -727,10 +709,7 @@ workflows:
 					{
 						Dir:       ".",
 						Workspace: "default",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 				Workflows: map[string]valid.Workflow{
@@ -781,10 +760,7 @@ workflows:
 					{
 						Dir:       ".",
 						Workspace: "default",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 				Workflows: map[string]valid.Workflow{
diff --git a/server/events/yaml/raw/autoplan_test.go b/server/events/yaml/raw/autoplan_test.go
index 66744340df..165082a147 100644
--- a/server/events/yaml/raw/autoplan_test.go
+++ b/server/events/yaml/raw/autoplan_test.go
@@ -107,10 +107,7 @@ func TestAutoplan_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			description: "nothing set",
 			input:       raw.Autoplan{},
-			exp: valid.Autoplan{
-				Enabled:      true,
-				WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*", "**/terragrunt.hcl"},
-			},
+			exp: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 		},
 		{
 			description: "when modified empty",
@@ -127,20 +124,14 @@ func TestAutoplan_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 			input: raw.Autoplan{
 				Enabled: Bool(false),
 			},
-			exp: valid.Autoplan{
-				Enabled:      false,
-				WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*", "**/terragrunt.hcl"},
-			},
+			exp: DefaultValidAutoplan().SetEnabled(false),
 		},
 		{
 			description: "enabled true",
 			input: raw.Autoplan{
 				Enabled: Bool(true),
 			},
-			exp: valid.Autoplan{
-				Enabled:      true,
-				WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*", "**/terragrunt.hcl"},
-			},
+			exp: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 		},
 	}
 	for _, c := range cases {
diff --git a/server/events/yaml/raw/project_test.go b/server/events/yaml/raw/project_test.go
index 8da75c01f4..605094925a 100644
--- a/server/events/yaml/raw/project_test.go
+++ b/server/events/yaml/raw/project_test.go
@@ -230,10 +230,7 @@ func TestProject_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 				Workspace:        "default",
 				WorkflowName:     nil,
 				TerraformVersion: nil,
-				Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-					WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-					Enabled:      true,
-				},
+				Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 				ApplyRequirements: nil,
 				Name:              nil,
 			},
@@ -275,10 +272,7 @@ func TestProject_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 				Dir:              ".",
 				Workspace:        "default",
 				TerraformVersion: tfVersionPointEleven,
-				Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-					WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-					Enabled:      true,
-				},
+				Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -289,10 +283,7 @@ func TestProject_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 			exp: valid.Project{
 				Dir:       ".",
 				Workspace: "default",
-				Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-					WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-					Enabled:      true,
-				},
+				Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -303,10 +294,7 @@ func TestProject_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 			exp: valid.Project{
 				Dir:       "mydir",
 				Workspace: "default",
-				Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-					WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-					Enabled:      true,
-				},
+				Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -318,10 +306,7 @@ func TestProject_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 			exp: valid.Project{
 				Dir:       "mydir",
 				Workspace: "default",
-				Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-					WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-					Enabled:      true,
-				},
+				Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -333,10 +318,7 @@ func TestProject_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 			exp: valid.Project{
 				Dir:       ".",
 				Workspace: "default",
-				Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-					WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-					Enabled:      true,
-				},
+				Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 			},
 		},
 	}
@@ -346,3 +328,6 @@ func TestProject_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+
+
diff --git a/server/events/yaml/raw/repo_cfg_test.go b/server/events/yaml/raw/repo_cfg_test.go
index 5d3da46d86..98f1426338 100644
--- a/server/events/yaml/raw/repo_cfg_test.go
+++ b/server/events/yaml/raw/repo_cfg_test.go
@@ -354,10 +354,7 @@ func TestConfig_ToValid(t *testing.T) {
 					{
 						Dir:       "mydir",
 						Workspace: "default",
-						Autoplan: valid.Autoplan{
-							WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*"},
-							Enabled:      true,
-						},
+						Autoplan: DefaultValidAutoplan(),
 					},
 				},
 			},
diff --git a/server/events/yaml/valid/repo_cfg.go b/server/events/yaml/valid/repo_cfg.go
index 8fa20aebaf..3aff7bfc57 100644
--- a/server/events/yaml/valid/repo_cfg.go
+++ b/server/events/yaml/valid/repo_cfg.go
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@ type Autoplan struct {
 	Enabled      bool
 }
 
+func (a Autoplan) SetEnabled(enabled bool) Autoplan {
+	a.Enabled = enabled
+	return a
+}
+
 type Stage struct {
 	Steps []Step
 }
diff --git a/testing/default_structs.go b/testing/default_structs.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a6747d8c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/default_structs.go
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package testing
+
+import "github.com/runatlantis/atlantis/server/events/yaml/valid"
+
+// Helper function to return a frequently repeated valid Autoplan struct.
+func DefaultValidAutoplan() valid.Autoplan {
+    return valid.Autoplan{
+        WhenModified: []string{"**/*.tf*", "**/terragrunt.hcl"},
+        Enabled:      true,
+    }
+}