diff --git a/kwok/apis/crds/karpenter.kwok.sh_kwoknodeclasses.yaml b/kwok/apis/crds/karpenter.kwok.sh_kwoknodeclasses.yaml
index 79b9db76fc..c1657ab40a 100644
--- a/kwok/apis/crds/karpenter.kwok.sh_kwoknodeclasses.yaml
+++ b/kwok/apis/crds/karpenter.kwok.sh_kwoknodeclasses.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ apiVersion: apiextensions.k8s.io/v1
 kind: CustomResourceDefinition
 metadata:
   annotations:
-    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.2
+    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.3
   name: kwoknodeclasses.karpenter.kwok.sh
 spec:
   group: karpenter.kwok.sh
diff --git a/kwok/charts/crds/karpenter.sh_nodeclaims.yaml b/kwok/charts/crds/karpenter.sh_nodeclaims.yaml
index 6e43e5640d..e6fee113cb 100644
--- a/kwok/charts/crds/karpenter.sh_nodeclaims.yaml
+++ b/kwok/charts/crds/karpenter.sh_nodeclaims.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ apiVersion: apiextensions.k8s.io/v1
 kind: CustomResourceDefinition
 metadata:
   annotations:
-    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.2
+    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.3
   name: nodeclaims.karpenter.sh
 spec:
   group: karpenter.sh
diff --git a/kwok/charts/crds/karpenter.sh_nodepools.yaml b/kwok/charts/crds/karpenter.sh_nodepools.yaml
index 53e868df8f..62d88906da 100644
--- a/kwok/charts/crds/karpenter.sh_nodepools.yaml
+++ b/kwok/charts/crds/karpenter.sh_nodepools.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ apiVersion: apiextensions.k8s.io/v1
 kind: CustomResourceDefinition
 metadata:
   annotations:
-    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.2
+    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.3
   name: nodepools.karpenter.sh
 spec:
   group: karpenter.sh
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ spec:
                 from a combination of nodepool and pod scheduling constraints.
               properties:
                 disruption:
+                  default:
+                    consolidateAfter: 0s
                   description: Disruption contains the parameters that relate to Karpenter's disruption logic
                   properties:
                     budgets:
diff --git a/pkg/apis/crds/karpenter.sh_nodeclaims.yaml b/pkg/apis/crds/karpenter.sh_nodeclaims.yaml
index 4e48290c73..0384f3140b 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/crds/karpenter.sh_nodeclaims.yaml
+++ b/pkg/apis/crds/karpenter.sh_nodeclaims.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ apiVersion: apiextensions.k8s.io/v1
 kind: CustomResourceDefinition
 metadata:
   annotations:
-    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.2
+    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.3
   name: nodeclaims.karpenter.sh
 spec:
   group: karpenter.sh
diff --git a/pkg/apis/crds/karpenter.sh_nodepools.yaml b/pkg/apis/crds/karpenter.sh_nodepools.yaml
index f186c4c5f7..305fa15070 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/crds/karpenter.sh_nodepools.yaml
+++ b/pkg/apis/crds/karpenter.sh_nodepools.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ apiVersion: apiextensions.k8s.io/v1
 kind: CustomResourceDefinition
 metadata:
   annotations:
-    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.2
+    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.3
   name: nodepools.karpenter.sh
 spec:
   group: karpenter.sh
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ spec:
                 from a combination of nodepool and pod scheduling constraints.
               properties:
                 disruption:
+                  default:
+                    consolidateAfter: 0s
                   description: Disruption contains the parameters that relate to Karpenter's disruption logic
                   properties:
                     budgets:
diff --git a/pkg/apis/v1/nodepool.go b/pkg/apis/v1/nodepool.go
index 2e2de7a38a..681d933344 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/v1/nodepool.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/v1/nodepool.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ type NodePoolSpec struct {
 	// +required
 	Template NodeClaimTemplate `json:"template"`
 	// Disruption contains the parameters that relate to Karpenter's disruption logic
+	// +kubebuilder:default:={consolidateAfter: "0s"}
 	// +optional
 	Disruption Disruption `json:"disruption"`
 	// Limits define a set of bounds for provisioning capacity.
diff --git a/pkg/apis/v1/nodepool_default_test.go b/pkg/apis/v1/nodepool_default_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..96d6954713
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/apis/v1/nodepool_default_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/*
+Copyright The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package v1_test
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/Pallinder/go-randomdata"
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+	"github.com/samber/lo"
+	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+
+	. "sigs.k8s.io/karpenter/pkg/apis/v1"
+)
+
+var _ = Describe("CEL/Default", func() {
+	var nodePool *NodePool
+
+	BeforeEach(func() {
+		nodePool = &NodePool{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: strings.ToLower(randomdata.SillyName())},
+			Spec: NodePoolSpec{
+				Template: NodeClaimTemplate{
+					Spec: NodeClaimTemplateSpec{
+						NodeClassRef: &NodeClassReference{
+							Kind: "NodeClaim",
+							Name: "default",
+						},
+						Requirements: []NodeSelectorRequirementWithMinValues{
+							{
+								NodeSelectorRequirement: v1.NodeSelectorRequirement{
+									Key:      CapacityTypeLabelKey,
+									Operator: v1.NodeSelectorOpExists,
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+	})
+	Context("Defaults/TopLevel", func() {
+		It("should default the disruption stanza when undefined", func() {
+			Expect(env.Client.Create(ctx, nodePool)).To(Succeed())
+			Expect(env.Client.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(nodePool), nodePool)).To(Succeed())
+			Expect(nodePool.Spec.Disruption).ToNot(BeNil())
+			Expect(lo.FromPtr(nodePool.Spec.Disruption.ConsolidateAfter.Duration)).To(Equal(0 * time.Second))
+			Expect(nodePool.Spec.Disruption.ConsolidationPolicy).To(Equal(ConsolidationPolicyWhenEmptyOrUnderutilized))
+			Expect(nodePool.Spec.Disruption.Budgets).To(Equal([]Budget{{Nodes: "10%"}}))
+		})
+	})
+})
diff --git a/pkg/test/v1alpha1/crds/karpenter.test.sh_testnodeclasses.yaml b/pkg/test/v1alpha1/crds/karpenter.test.sh_testnodeclasses.yaml
index fb3c15c292..b8684d22e0 100644
--- a/pkg/test/v1alpha1/crds/karpenter.test.sh_testnodeclasses.yaml
+++ b/pkg/test/v1alpha1/crds/karpenter.test.sh_testnodeclasses.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ apiVersion: apiextensions.k8s.io/v1
 kind: CustomResourceDefinition
 metadata:
   annotations:
-    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.2
+    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.16.3
   name: testnodeclasses.karpenter.test.sh
 spec:
   group: karpenter.test.sh