diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/components/LaunchPrompt/steps/SurveyStep.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/components/LaunchPrompt/steps/SurveyStep.jsx
index cfdae4e957..a500b07b69 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/components/LaunchPrompt/steps/SurveyStep.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/components/LaunchPrompt/steps/SurveyStep.jsx
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ function MultiSelectField({ question, i18n }) {
     <FormGroup
       fieldId={id}
       helperTextInvalid={
-        meta.error || i18n._(t`Must select a value for this field.`)
+        meta.error ||
+        i18n._(t`At least one value must be selected for this field.`)
       }
       isRequired={question.required}
       validated={isValid ? 'default' : 'error'}
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/components/LaunchPrompt/steps/useSurveyStep.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/components/LaunchPrompt/steps/useSurveyStep.jsx
index 4a92d1b970..54a38905f0 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/components/LaunchPrompt/steps/useSurveyStep.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/components/LaunchPrompt/steps/useSurveyStep.jsx
@@ -107,9 +107,11 @@ function getInitialValues(launchConfig, surveyConfig, resource) {
   if (surveyConfig?.spec) {
     surveyConfig.spec.forEach(question => {
       if (question.type === 'multiselect') {
-        values[`survey_${question.variable}`] = question.default.split('\n');
+        values[`survey_${question.variable}`] = question.default
+          ? question.default.split('\n')
+          : [];
       } else {
-        values[`survey_${question.variable}`] = question.default;
+        values[`survey_${question.variable}`] = question.default || null;
       }
       if (resource?.extra_data) {
         Object.entries(resource.extra_data).forEach(([key, value]) => {
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyPreviewModal.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyPreviewModal.jsx
index d542c1b56b..1b1086e6b2 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyPreviewModal.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyPreviewModal.jsx
@@ -104,7 +104,9 @@ function SurveyPreviewModal({
                       isReadOnly
                       variant={SelectVariant.typeaheadMulti}
                       isOpen={false}
-                      selections={q.default.length > 0 && q.default.split('\n')}
+                      selections={
+                        q.default.length > 0 ? q.default.split('\n') : []
+                      }
                       onToggle={() => {}}
                       aria-label={i18n._(t`Multi-Select`)}
                       id={`survey-preview-multiSelect-${q.variable}`}