diff --git a/protocol-designer/src/pages/Designer/ProtocolSteps/StepForm/StepFormToolbox.tsx b/protocol-designer/src/pages/Designer/ProtocolSteps/StepForm/StepFormToolbox.tsx
index a14be039d93..fd76bb10ca0 100644
--- a/protocol-designer/src/pages/Designer/ProtocolSteps/StepForm/StepFormToolbox.tsx
+++ b/protocol-designer/src/pages/Designer/ProtocolSteps/StepForm/StepFormToolbox.tsx
@@ -100,13 +100,7 @@ export function StepFormToolbox(props: StepFormToolboxProps): JSX.Element {
     getFormLevelErrorsForUnsavedForm
   )
   const timeline = useSelector(getRobotStateTimeline)
-  const [toolboxStep, setToolboxStep] = useState<number>(
-    // progress to step 2 if thermocycler form is populated
-    formData.thermocyclerFormType === 'thermocyclerProfile' ||
-      formData.thermocyclerFormType === 'thermocyclerState'
-      ? 1
-      : 0
-  )
+  const [toolboxStep, setToolboxStep] = useState<number>(0)
   const [
     showFormErrorsAndWarnings,
     setShowFormErrorsAndWarnings,
diff --git a/protocol-designer/src/pages/Designer/ProtocolSteps/StepForm/StepTools/ThermocyclerTools/index.tsx b/protocol-designer/src/pages/Designer/ProtocolSteps/StepForm/StepTools/ThermocyclerTools/index.tsx
index a35e977aa46..b34f937dac2 100644
--- a/protocol-designer/src/pages/Designer/ProtocolSteps/StepForm/StepTools/ThermocyclerTools/index.tsx
+++ b/protocol-designer/src/pages/Designer/ProtocolSteps/StepForm/StepTools/ThermocyclerTools/index.tsx
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ export function ThermocyclerTools(props: StepFormProps): JSX.Element {
   const { t } = useTranslation('form')
 
   const [contentType, setContentType] = useState<ThermocyclerContentType>(
-    (formData.thermocyclerFormType as ThermocyclerContentType) ??
-      'thermocyclerState'
+    formData.thermocyclerFormType as ThermocyclerContentType
   )
 
   if (toolboxStep === 0) {
diff --git a/protocol-designer/src/step-forms/test/createPresavedStepForm.test.ts b/protocol-designer/src/step-forms/test/createPresavedStepForm.test.ts
index 728a9a6fbcc..9a78b49d0ed 100644
--- a/protocol-designer/src/step-forms/test/createPresavedStepForm.test.ts
+++ b/protocol-designer/src/step-forms/test/createPresavedStepForm.test.ts
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ describe('createPresavedStepForm', () => {
           stepDetails: '',
           stepName: 'thermocycler',
           stepType: 'thermocycler',
-          thermocyclerFormType: null,
+          thermocyclerFormType: 'thermocyclerState',
         })
       })
     })
diff --git a/protocol-designer/src/steplist/formLevel/getDefaultsForStepType.ts b/protocol-designer/src/steplist/formLevel/getDefaultsForStepType.ts
index 6d56e7dfe1c..3fa3f71be12 100644
--- a/protocol-designer/src/steplist/formLevel/getDefaultsForStepType.ts
+++ b/protocol-designer/src/steplist/formLevel/getDefaultsForStepType.ts
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ export function getDefaultsForStepType(
         profileItemsById: {},
         profileTargetLidTemp: null,
         profileVolume: null,
-        thermocyclerFormType: null,
+        thermocyclerFormType: 'thermocyclerState',
       }
 
     default:
diff --git a/protocol-designer/src/steplist/formLevel/test/getDefaultsForStepType.test.ts b/protocol-designer/src/steplist/formLevel/test/getDefaultsForStepType.test.ts
index 34e8580d850..a7d87f09c0d 100644
--- a/protocol-designer/src/steplist/formLevel/test/getDefaultsForStepType.test.ts
+++ b/protocol-designer/src/steplist/formLevel/test/getDefaultsForStepType.test.ts
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ describe('getDefaultsForStepType', () => {
   describe('thermocycler step', () => {
     it('should get the correct defaults', () => {
       expect(getDefaultsForStepType('thermocycler')).toEqual({
-        thermocyclerFormType: null,
+        thermocyclerFormType: 'thermocyclerState',
         moduleId: null,
         blockIsActive: false,
         blockTargetTemp: null,