diff --git a/lib/Controller/OtherController.php b/lib/Controller/OtherController.php
index 9dbd140a..673779f6 100644
--- a/lib/Controller/OtherController.php
+++ b/lib/Controller/OtherController.php
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ class OtherController extends GenericApiController
                 return $this->config->getUserValue($uid, Application::APPNAME, $key, $default);
             };
 
+            $defaultTimelinePath = $this->config->getSystemValue('memories.default_timeline_path', 'EMPTY');
+
             return new JSONResponse([
                 // general stuff
                 'version' => $version,
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@ class OtherController extends GenericApiController
                 'preview_generator_enabled' => Util::previewGeneratorIsEnabled(),
 
                 // general settings
-                'timeline_path' => $getAppConfig('timelinePath', 'EMPTY'),
+                'timeline_path' => $getAppConfig('timelinePath', $defaultTimelinePath),
                 'enable_top_memories' => 'true' === $getAppConfig('enableTopMemories', 'true'),
 
                 // viewer settings
diff --git a/lib/SystemConfigDefault.php b/lib/SystemConfigDefault.php
index c15635fd..d5f3cbe6 100644
--- a/lib/SystemConfigDefault.php
+++ b/lib/SystemConfigDefault.php
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ return [
     // 1080 => 1080p (and so on)
     'memories.video_default_quality' => '0',
 
+    // Default timeline path for all users; if not set, default is '/Photos'
+    'memories.default_timeline_path' => 'Photos/',
+
     // Memories only provides an admin interface for these
     // https://docs.nextcloud.com/server/latest/admin_manual/configuration_server/config_sample_php_parameters.html#previews
     'enabledPreviewProviders' => [],
diff --git a/lib/Util.php b/lib/Util.php
index bea8d079..6cfc05a4 100644
--- a/lib/Util.php
+++ b/lib/Util.php
@@ -316,7 +316,8 @@ class Util
     public static function getTimelinePaths(string $uid): array
     {
         $config = \OC::$server->get(IConfig::class);
-        $paths = $config->getUserValue($uid, Application::APPNAME, 'timelinePath', null) ?? 'Photos/';
+        $defaultTimelinePath = self::getSystemConfig('memories.default_timeline_path');
+        $paths = $config->getUserValue($uid, Application::APPNAME, 'timelinePath', null) ?? $defaultTimelinePath;
 
         return array_map(static fn ($p) => self::sanitizePath(trim($p)), explode(';', $paths));
     }