diff --git a/doc/82-Changelog.md b/doc/82-Changelog.md
index 96541385..9750a512 100644
--- a/doc/82-Changelog.md
+++ b/doc/82-Changelog.md
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ This version hasn't been released yet
 ### Icinga Configuration
 * FIX: render Set Services to individual zones where required (#1589, #2356)
 
+### Configuration Branches
+* FEATURE: with this release, directorbranches v1.3 supports a "default branch" (#2688)
+* FEATURE: users with default branches get warnings in the main branch (#2689)
+
 ### Health Check
 * FIX: complaint about overdue jobs was not correct (#2680, #2681)
 
diff --git a/library/Director/Dashboard/BranchesDashboard.php b/library/Director/Dashboard/BranchesDashboard.php
index fe8b385c..1ba254a7 100644
--- a/library/Director/Dashboard/BranchesDashboard.php
+++ b/library/Director/Dashboard/BranchesDashboard.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use gipfl\Web\Widget\Hint;
 use Icinga\Application\Hook;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\Branch;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\BranchStore;
+use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\PreferredBranchSupport;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Hook\BranchSupportHook;
 use ipl\Html\Html;
 
@@ -19,6 +20,12 @@ class BranchesDashboard extends Dashboard
                 $this->translate('You\'re currently working in a Configuration Branch: %s'),
                 Branch::requireHook()->linkToBranch($branch, $this->getAuth(), $branch->getName())
             )));
+        } else {
+            if (($implementation = Branch::optionalHook()) && $implementation instanceof PreferredBranchSupport) {
+                $this->prepend(Hint::warning(
+                    $this->translate('You\'re currently working in the main Configuration Branch'),
+                ));
+            }
         }
 
         return $this->translate('Prepare your configuration in a safe Environment');
diff --git a/library/Director/Db/Branch/PreferredBranchSupport.php b/library/Director/Db/Branch/PreferredBranchSupport.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3463bfef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/Director/Db/Branch/PreferredBranchSupport.php
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch;
+
+use Icinga\Authentication\Auth;
+
+interface PreferredBranchSupport
+{
+    public function hasPreferredBranch(Auth $auth): bool;
+}
diff --git a/library/Director/Web/Controller/BranchHelper.php b/library/Director/Web/Controller/BranchHelper.php
index ac2a4806..501f83e7 100644
--- a/library/Director/Web/Controller/BranchHelper.php
+++ b/library/Director/Web/Controller/BranchHelper.php
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 namespace Icinga\Module\Director\Web\Controller;
 
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Data\Db\DbObjectStore;
-use Icinga\Module\Director\Data\Db\DbObjectTypeRegistry;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\Branch;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\BranchStore;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\BranchSupport;
+use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\PreferredBranchSupport;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Objects\IcingaObject;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Web\Widget\NotInBranchedHint;
 
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ trait BranchHelper
     /** @var BranchStore */
     protected $branchStore;
 
+    /** @var ?bool */
+    protected $hasPreferredBranch = null;
+
     /**
      * @return false|\Ramsey\Uuid\UuidInterface
      */
@@ -73,4 +76,18 @@ trait BranchHelper
 
         return false;
     }
+
+    protected function hasPreferredBranch()
+    {
+        if ($this->hasPreferredBranch === null) {
+            $implementation = Branch::optionalHook();
+            if ($implementation instanceof PreferredBranchSupport) {
+                $this->hasPreferredBranch = $implementation->hasPreferredBranch($this->Auth());
+            } else {
+                $this->hasPreferredBranch = false;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $this->hasPreferredBranch;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/library/Director/Web/Controller/ObjectController.php b/library/Director/Web/Controller/ObjectController.php
index 0c06937d..7302b5aa 100644
--- a/library/Director/Web/Controller/ObjectController.php
+++ b/library/Director/Web/Controller/ObjectController.php
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use Icinga\Exception\ProgrammingError;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Data\Db\DbObjectTypeRegistry;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\Branch;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\BranchedObject;
+use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\BranchSupport;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Db\Branch\UuidLookup;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\Deployment\DeploymentInfo;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\DirectorObject\Automation\ExportInterface;
@@ -151,8 +152,11 @@ abstract class ObjectController extends ActionController
             $this->addObject();
         }
         $branch = $this->getBranch();
-        if ($branch->isBranch() && ! $this->getRequest()->isApiRequest()) {
-            $this->content()->add(new BranchedObjectHint($branch, $this->Auth()));
+        if (! $this->getRequest()->isApiRequest()) {
+            $hasPreferred = $this->hasPreferredBranch();
+            if ($branch->isBranch() || $hasPreferred) {
+                $this->content()->add(new BranchedObjectHint($branch, $this->Auth(), null, $hasPreferred));
+            }
         }
 
         $form->handleRequest();
@@ -558,8 +562,16 @@ abstract class ObjectController extends ActionController
         if (! $this->allowsObject($object)) {
             throw new NotFoundError('No such object available');
         }
-        if ($showHint && $branch->isBranch() && $object->isObject() && ! $this->getRequest()->isApiRequest()) {
-            $this->content()->add(new BranchedObjectHint($branch, $this->Auth(), $branchedObject));
+        if ($showHint) {
+            $hasPreferredBranch = $this->hasPreferredBranch();
+            if (($hasPreferredBranch || $branch->isBranch())
+                && $object->isObject()
+                && ! $this->getRequest()->isApiRequest()
+            ) {
+                $this->content()->add(
+                    new BranchedObjectHint($branch, $this->Auth(), $branchedObject, $hasPreferredBranch)
+                );
+            }
         }
 
         return $object;
diff --git a/library/Director/Web/Controller/ObjectsController.php b/library/Director/Web/Controller/ObjectsController.php
index 8c10b442..32f9f43b 100644
--- a/library/Director/Web/Controller/ObjectsController.php
+++ b/library/Director/Web/Controller/ObjectsController.php
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ abstract class ObjectsController extends ActionController
             ->addTitle($this->translate(ucfirst($this->getPluralType())))
             ->actions(new ObjectsActionBar($this->getBaseObjectUrl(), $this->url()));
 
-        $this->content()->add(new BranchedObjectsHint($this->getBranch(), $this->Auth()));
+        $this->content()->add(new BranchedObjectsHint($this->getBranch(), $this->Auth(), $this->hasPreferredBranch()));
 
         if ($type === 'command' && $this->params->get('type') === 'external_object') {
             $this->tabs()->activate('external');
diff --git a/library/Director/Web/Widget/BranchedObjectHint.php b/library/Director/Web/Widget/BranchedObjectHint.php
index ec160940..c50f9232 100644
--- a/library/Director/Web/Widget/BranchedObjectHint.php
+++ b/library/Director/Web/Widget/BranchedObjectHint.php
@@ -15,33 +15,45 @@ class BranchedObjectHint extends HtmlDocument
 {
     use TranslationHelper;
 
-    public function __construct(Branch $branch, Auth $auth, BranchedObject $object = null)
+    public function __construct(Branch $branch, Auth $auth, BranchedObject $object = null, $hasPreferredBranch = false)
     {
         if (! $branch->isBranch()) {
-            return;
-        }
-        $hook = Branch::requireHook();
-
-        $name = $branch->getName();
-        if (substr($name, 0, 1) === '/') {
-            $label = $this->translate('this configuration branch');
+            if ($hasPreferredBranch) {
+                $main = true;
+                $hintMethod = 'warning';
+                $link = $this->translate('the main configuration branch');
+                $deployHint = ' ' . $this->translate('This will be part of the next deployment');
+            } else {
+                return;
+            }
         } else {
-            $label = $name;
+            $main = false;
+            $hintMethod = 'info';
+            $deployHint = ' ' . $this->translate('This will not be part of any deployment, unless being merged');
+            $hook = Branch::requireHook();
+            $name = $branch->getName();
+            if (substr($name, 0, 1) === '/') {
+                $label = $this->translate('this configuration branch');
+            } else {
+                $label = $name;
+            }
+            $link = $hook->linkToBranch($branch, $auth, $label);
         }
-        $link = $hook->linkToBranch($branch, $auth, $label);
+
         if ($object === null) {
-            $this->add(Hint::info(Html::sprintf($this->translate(
-                'This object will be created in %s. It will not be part of any deployment'
-                . ' unless being merged'
-            ), $link)));
+            $this->add(Hint::$hintMethod(Html::sprintf($this->translate(
+                'This object will be created in %s.'
+            ) . $deployHint, $link)));
             return;
         }
 
         if (! $object->hasBeenTouchedByBranch()) {
-            $this->add(Hint::info(Html::sprintf($this->translate(
-                'Your changes will be stored in %s. The\'ll not be part of any deployment'
-                . ' unless being merged'
-            ), $link)));
+            $this->add(Hint::$hintMethod(Html::sprintf($this->translate(
+                'Your changes are going to be stored in %s.'
+            ) . $deployHint, $link)));
+            return;
+        }
+        if ($main) {
             return;
         }
 
diff --git a/library/Director/Web/Widget/BranchedObjectsHint.php b/library/Director/Web/Widget/BranchedObjectsHint.php
index d689178b..3f00f9ea 100644
--- a/library/Director/Web/Widget/BranchedObjectsHint.php
+++ b/library/Director/Web/Widget/BranchedObjectsHint.php
@@ -13,9 +13,14 @@ class BranchedObjectsHint extends HtmlDocument
 {
     use TranslationHelper;
 
-    public function __construct(Branch $branch, Auth $auth)
+    public function __construct(Branch $branch, Auth $auth, $hasPreferredBranch = false)
     {
         if (! $branch->isBranch()) {
+            if ($hasPreferredBranch) {
+                $this->add(Hint::warning($this->translate(
+                    "You're currently in the master branch, your changes will make part of the next Deployment"
+                )));
+            }
             return;
         }
         $hook = Branch::requireHook();