diff --git a/packages/plugins/sandbox-providers/e2b/src/manifest.ts b/packages/plugins/sandbox-providers/e2b/src/manifest.ts
index 0a8af014..11b23590 100644
--- a/packages/plugins/sandbox-providers/e2b/src/manifest.ts
+++ b/packages/plugins/sandbox-providers/e2b/src/manifest.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const manifest: PaperclipPluginManifestV1 = {
         properties: {
           template: {
             type: "string",
-            description: "E2B sandbox template name.",
+            description: "E2B sandbox template name. Defaults to base when omitted.",
             default: "base",
           },
           apiKey: {
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ const manifest: PaperclipPluginManifestV1 = {
             default: false,
           },
         },
-        required: ["template"],
       },
     },
   ],
diff --git a/packages/plugins/sandbox-providers/e2b/src/plugin.test.ts b/packages/plugins/sandbox-providers/e2b/src/plugin.test.ts
index 3cb1764b..71e36b91 100644
--- a/packages/plugins/sandbox-providers/e2b/src/plugin.test.ts
+++ b/packages/plugins/sandbox-providers/e2b/src/plugin.test.ts
@@ -131,6 +131,26 @@ describe("E2B sandbox provider plugin", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("defaults a missing template to base", async () => {
+    const result = await plugin.definition.onEnvironmentValidateConfig?.({
+      driverKey: "e2b",
+      config: {
+        timeoutMs: "450000.9",
+        reuseLease: true,
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      ok: true,
+      normalizedConfig: {
+        template: "base",
+        apiKey: null,
+        timeoutMs: 450000,
+        reuseLease: true,
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
   it("rejects empty template strings instead of silently normalizing them", async () => {
     await expect(plugin.definition.onEnvironmentValidateConfig?.({
       driverKey: "e2b",