diff --git a/models/fixtures/repo_unit.yml b/models/fixtures/repo_unit.yml
index 6714294e2b66e..8a22db0445c64 100644
--- a/models/fixtures/repo_unit.yml
+++ b/models/fixtures/repo_unit.yml
@@ -520,7 +520,6 @@
   id: 75
   repo_id: 1
   type: 8
-  config: "{\"ProjectsMode\":\"all\"}"
   created_unix: 946684810
 
 -
diff --git a/models/repo/repo.go b/models/repo/repo.go
index ad2e21b66b658..f6758f1591ac6 100644
--- a/models/repo/repo.go
+++ b/models/repo/repo.go
@@ -412,9 +412,11 @@ func (repo *Repository) MustGetUnit(ctx context.Context, tp unit.Type) *RepoUnit
 			Config: new(ActionsConfig),
 		}
 	} else if tp == unit.TypeProjects {
+		cfg := new(ProjectsConfig)
+		cfg.ProjectsMode = ProjectsModeNone
 		return &RepoUnit{
 			Type:   tp,
-			Config: new(ProjectsConfig),
+			Config: cfg,
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/models/repo/repo_unit.go b/models/repo/repo_unit.go
index 6b9dde7fafb33..5a841f4d312e8 100644
--- a/models/repo/repo_unit.go
+++ b/models/repo/repo_unit.go
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ func (cfg *ProjectsConfig) GetProjectsMode() ProjectsMode {
 		return cfg.ProjectsMode
 	}
 
-	return ProjectsModeNone
+	return ProjectsModeAll
 }
 
 func (cfg *ProjectsConfig) IsProjectsAllowed(m ProjectsMode) bool {
diff --git a/templates/repo/settings/options.tmpl b/templates/repo/settings/options.tmpl
index 376cfe7607370..0de42b34ea898 100644
--- a/templates/repo/settings/options.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/settings/options.tmpl
@@ -460,19 +460,19 @@
 					</p>
 					<div class="ui dropdown selection">
 						<select name="projects_mode">
-							<option value="repo" {{if or (not $isProjectsEnabled) (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.ProjectsMode "repo")}}selected{{end}}>{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.settings.projects_mode_repo"}}</option>
-							<option value="owner" {{if or (not $isProjectsEnabled) (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.ProjectsMode "owner")}}selected{{end}}>{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.settings.projects_mode_owner"}}</option>
-							<option value="all" {{if or (not $isProjectsEnabled) (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.ProjectsMode "all")}}selected{{end}}>{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.settings.projects_mode_all"}}</option>
+							<option value="repo" {{if or (not $isProjectsEnabled) (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.GetProjectsMode "repo")}}selected{{end}}>{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.settings.projects_mode_repo"}}</option>
+							<option value="owner" {{if or (not $isProjectsEnabled) (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.GetProjectsMode "owner")}}selected{{end}}>{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.settings.projects_mode_owner"}}</option>
+							<option value="all" {{if or (not $isProjectsEnabled) (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.GetProjectsMode "all")}}selected{{end}}>{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.settings.projects_mode_all"}}</option>
 						</select>
 						{{svg "octicon-triangle-down" 14 "dropdown icon"}}
 						<div class="default text">
-							{{if (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.ProjectsMode "repo")}}
+							{{if (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.GetProjectsMode "repo")}}
 								{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.settings.projects_mode_repo"}}
 							{{end}}
-							{{if (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.ProjectsMode "owner")}}
+							{{if (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.GetProjectsMode "owner")}}
 								{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.settings.projects_mode_owner"}}
 							{{end}}
-							{{if (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.ProjectsMode "all")}}
+							{{if (eq $projectsUnit.ProjectsConfig.GetProjectsMode "all")}}
 								{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.settings.projects_mode_all"}}
 							{{end}}
 						</div>