diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 1aa32f2..feb5f34 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@ CMS_SUPPORT_EMAIL="support@cms.local"
 CMS_SUPPORT_PASSWORD="change-me-support-password"
 CMS_SUPPORT_NAME="Technical Support"
 CMS_SUPPORT_LOGIN_KEY="support-access-change-me"
-CMS_MEDIA_STORAGE_PROVIDER="local"
+CMS_MEDIA_STORAGE_PROVIDER="s3"
 CMS_MEDIA_UPLOAD_MAX_BYTES="26214400"
 # Optional: override local media storage directory for admin upload adapter.
 # CMS_MEDIA_LOCAL_STORAGE_DIR="/absolute/path/to/media-storage"
-# S3/object-storage config (required when CMS_MEDIA_STORAGE_PROVIDER="s3").
+# S3/object-storage config (default provider). If unavailable, upload falls back to local storage.
 # CMS_MEDIA_S3_BUCKET="cms-media"
 # CMS_MEDIA_S3_REGION="eu-central-1"
 # CMS_MEDIA_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=""
diff --git a/apps/admin/src/app/media/page.tsx b/apps/admin/src/app/media/page.tsx
index ceea4ec..b0cabc4 100644
--- a/apps/admin/src/app/media/page.tsx
+++ b/apps/admin/src/app/media/page.tsx
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ export default async function MediaManagementPage({
         <h2 className="text-xl font-medium">Upload Media Asset</h2>
         <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-neutral-600">
           Upload storage provider: <strong>{activeStorageProvider}</strong>. You can switch via
-          `CMS_MEDIA_STORAGE_PROVIDER` (`local` or `s3`) until the admin settings toggle lands.
+          `CMS_MEDIA_STORAGE_PROVIDER` (`s3` default, `local` fallback) until the admin settings
+          toggle lands.
         </p>
         <MediaUploadForm />
       </section>
diff --git a/apps/admin/src/lib/media/storage.test.ts b/apps/admin/src/lib/media/storage.test.ts
index e41803a..a9c97b5 100644
--- a/apps/admin/src/lib/media/storage.test.ts
+++ b/apps/admin/src/lib/media/storage.test.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest"
 import { resolveMediaStorageProvider } from "@/lib/media/storage"
 
 describe("resolveMediaStorageProvider", () => {
-  it("defaults to local when unset", () => {
-    expect(resolveMediaStorageProvider(undefined)).toBe("local")
+  it("defaults to s3 when unset", () => {
+    expect(resolveMediaStorageProvider(undefined)).toBe("s3")
   })
 
   it("resolves s3", () => {
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ describe("resolveMediaStorageProvider", () => {
     expect(resolveMediaStorageProvider("S3")).toBe("s3")
   })
 
-  it("falls back to local for unknown values", () => {
-    expect(resolveMediaStorageProvider("foo")).toBe("local")
+  it("resolves local explicitly", () => {
+    expect(resolveMediaStorageProvider("local")).toBe("local")
+    expect(resolveMediaStorageProvider("LOCAL")).toBe("local")
+  })
+
+  it("falls back to s3 for unknown values", () => {
+    expect(resolveMediaStorageProvider("foo")).toBe("s3")
   })
 })
diff --git a/apps/admin/src/lib/media/storage.ts b/apps/admin/src/lib/media/storage.ts
index 2e77438..bac8764 100644
--- a/apps/admin/src/lib/media/storage.ts
+++ b/apps/admin/src/lib/media/storage.ts
@@ -14,21 +14,29 @@ type StoredUpload = {
 }
 
 export function resolveMediaStorageProvider(raw: string | undefined): MediaStorageProvider {
-  if (raw?.toLowerCase() === "s3") {
-    return "s3"
+  if (raw?.toLowerCase() === "local") {
+    return "local"
   }
 
-  return "local"
+  return "s3"
 }
 
 export async function storeUpload(params: StoreUploadParams): Promise<StoredUpload> {
   const provider = resolveMediaStorageProvider(process.env.CMS_MEDIA_STORAGE_PROVIDER)
 
   if (provider === "s3") {
-    const stored = await storeUploadToS3(params)
-    return {
-      ...stored,
-      provider,
+    try {
+      const stored = await storeUploadToS3(params)
+      return {
+        ...stored,
+        provider,
+      }
+    } catch {
+      const fallbackStored = await storeUploadLocally(params)
+      return {
+        ...fallbackStored,
+        provider: "local",
+      }
     }
   }