diff --git a/clab/config.go b/clab/config.go
index ed974ae4b..964fee78e 100644
--- a/clab/config.go
+++ b/clab/config.go
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ const (
 	dockerNetName     = "clab"
 	dockerNetIPv4Addr = "172.20.20.0/24"
 	dockerNetIPv6Addr = "2001:172:20:20::/80"
+
+	srlDefaultType = "ixr6"
 )
 
 // supported kinds
@@ -226,11 +228,22 @@ func (c *cLab) groupInitialization(nodeCfg *NodeConfig, kind string) string {
 	return c.Config.Topology.Defaults.Group
 }
 
-func (c *cLab) typeInitialization(nodeCfg *NodeConfig, kind string) string {
-	if nodeCfg.Type != "" {
+// initialize SRL HW type
+func (c *cLab) typeInit(nodeCfg *NodeConfig, kind string) string {
+	switch {
+	case nodeCfg.Type != "":
 		return nodeCfg.Type
+	case c.Config.Topology.Kinds[nodeCfg.Kind].Type != "":
+		return c.Config.Topology.Kinds[nodeCfg.Kind].Type
+	case c.Config.Topology.Defaults.Type != "":
+		return c.Config.Topology.Defaults.Type
 	}
-	return c.Config.Topology.Kinds[kind].Type
+	// default type if not defined
+	switch nodeCfg.Kind {
+	case "srl":
+		return srlDefaultType
+	}
+	return ""
 }
 
 func (c *cLab) configInitialization(nodeCfg *NodeConfig, kind string) string {
@@ -376,7 +389,7 @@ func (c *cLab) NewNode(nodeName string, nodeCfg NodeConfig, idx int) error {
 
 		node.Image = c.imageInitialization(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
 		node.Group = c.groupInitialization(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
-		node.NodeType = c.typeInitialization(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
+		node.NodeType = c.typeInit(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
 		node.Position = c.positionInitialization(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
 
 		if filename, found := srlTypes[node.NodeType]; found {
@@ -423,7 +436,7 @@ func (c *cLab) NewNode(nodeName string, nodeCfg NodeConfig, idx int) error {
 		node.License = ""
 		node.Image = c.imageInitialization(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
 		node.Group = c.groupInitialization(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
-		node.NodeType = c.typeInitialization(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
+		node.NodeType = c.typeInit(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
 		node.Position = c.positionInitialization(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
 		node.Cmd = c.cmdInit(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
 
diff --git a/clab/config_test.go b/clab/config_test.go
index 3727354f0..bb477521f 100644
--- a/clab/config_test.go
+++ b/clab/config_test.go
@@ -102,3 +102,53 @@ func TestBindsInit(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestTypeInit(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := map[string]struct {
+		got  string
+		node string
+		want string
+	}{
+		"undefined_type_returns_default": {
+			got:  "test_data/topo1.yml",
+			node: "node2",
+			want: "ixr6",
+		},
+		"node_type_override_kind_type": {
+			got:  "test_data/topo2.yml",
+			node: "node2",
+			want: "ixr10",
+		},
+		"node_inherits_kind_type": {
+			got:  "test_data/topo2.yml",
+			node: "node1",
+			want: "ixrd2",
+		},
+		"node_inherits_default_type": {
+			got:  "test_data/topo3.yml",
+			node: "node2",
+			want: "ixrd2",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for name, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			opts := []ClabOption{
+				WithTopoFile(tc.got),
+			}
+			c := NewContainerLab(opts...)
+			if err := c.ParseTopology(); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+
+			nodeCfg := c.Config.Topology.Nodes[tc.node]
+			node := Node{}
+			node.Kind = strings.ToLower(c.kindInitialization(&nodeCfg))
+
+			ntype := c.typeInit(&nodeCfg, node.Kind)
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(ntype, tc.want) {
+				t.Fatalf("wanted %q got %q", tc.want, ntype)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/clab/test_data/topo1.yml b/clab/test_data/topo1.yml
index b8ffd637e..5404acd90 100644
--- a/clab/test_data/topo1.yml
+++ b/clab/test_data/topo1.yml
@@ -7,3 +7,6 @@ topology:
       license: node1.lic
       binds:
         - /node/src:/dst
+    node2:
+      kind: srl
+      license: node1.lic
diff --git a/clab/test_data/topo2.yml b/clab/test_data/topo2.yml
index 4aaf63eb1..b35722466 100644
--- a/clab/test_data/topo2.yml
+++ b/clab/test_data/topo2.yml
@@ -3,10 +3,13 @@ topology:
   kinds:
     srl:
       license: kind.lic
+      type: ixrd2
   nodes:
     node1:
       kind: srl
-      type: ixr6
       binds:
         - /node/src1:/dst1
         - /node/src2:/dst2
+    node2:
+      kind: srl
+      type: ixr10
diff --git a/clab/test_data/topo3.yml b/clab/test_data/topo3.yml
index 6f2979772..62df31ad4 100644
--- a/clab/test_data/topo3.yml
+++ b/clab/test_data/topo3.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ topology:
     license: default.lic
     binds:
       - /default/src:/dst
+    type: ixrd2
   nodes:
     node1:
       kind: srl
       type: ixr6
+    node2:
+      kind: srl