diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 35c83f963..2fc75d394 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -207,5 +207,5 @@ option('session-managers',
 option('default-session-manager',
        description : 'Default session manager (leave as-is if none are built)',
        type : 'combo',
-       choices : ['media-session', 'wireplumber'],
-       value : 'media-session')
+       choices : ['auto', 'media-session', 'wireplumber'],
+       value : 'auto')
diff --git a/src/daemon/meson.build b/src/daemon/meson.build
index 892bbd665..16c84a3aa 100644
--- a/src/daemon/meson.build
+++ b/src/daemon/meson.build
@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ conf_config_uninstalled.set('comment', '')
 build_ms = get_option('session-managers').contains('media-session')
 build_wp = get_option('session-managers').contains('wireplumber')
 sm_choice = get_option('default-session-manager')
+if sm_choice == 'auto'
+  sm_choice = get_option('session-managers').get(0, '')
+endif
+
+summary({'Build media-session': build_ms,
+         'Build wireplumber': build_wp,
+         'Default session-manager': sm_choice},
+         section: 'Session managers',
+         bool_yn: true)
 
 if sm_choice == 'media-session'
   if get_option('session-managers') == []