diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index 3b61d565..3d0c7356 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,17 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Hardening
+
+- **Auto engine selection no longer lands on PageBased (production hardening)** - with default
+  configuration (`StorageEngineType.Auto` + `WorkloadHint.General`) `GetOptimalStorageEngine`
+  returned PageBased, which is not yet OLTP-ready (measured UPDATE ~26K ops/s vs ~245K ops/s on the
+  fixed-width Columnar path). Auto selection now routes General / WriteHeavy / unknown hints to
+  AppendOnly/Columnar; PageBased remains reachable only through an explicit
+  `StorageEngineType.PageBased` until its UPDATE/DELETE fast paths reach parity. Regression tests
+  assert the mapping AND that a default database creates Columnar fixed-width PK tables that engage
+  the single-pass contiguous DELETE path (no `.pages` artifacts). Full suite 1768 tests, 0 failed.
+
 ### Performance
 
 - **Fixed-width record layout is now the default for new columnar PK tables (B7)** ÔÇö
diff --git a/src/SharpCoreDB/DatabaseConfig.cs b/src/SharpCoreDB/DatabaseConfig.cs
index 34babc4d..d189fe44 100644
--- a/src/SharpCoreDB/DatabaseConfig.cs
+++ b/src/SharpCoreDB/DatabaseConfig.cs
@@ -563,9 +563,15 @@ public class DatabaseConfig
     /// ✅ NEW: Smart storage selection based on workload characteristics!
     /// - ReadHeavy: Optimized for SELECT queries → COLUMNAR storage
     /// - Analytics: Optimized for aggregates/scans → COLUMNAR storage
-    /// - WriteHeavy: Optimized for INSERT/UPDATE → PAGE_BASED storage
-    /// - General: Balanced for mixed workloads → PAGE_BASED storage
-    /// 
+    /// - WriteHeavy: Optimized for INSERT/UPDATE → currently APPEND_ONLY/COLUMNAR too (PageBased is
+    ///   opt-in only via an explicit <see cref="StorageEngineType.PageBased"/>; see the note below)
+    /// - General: Balanced for mixed workloads → APPEND_ONLY/COLUMNAR storage (the fast, hardened path)
+    ///
+    /// NOTE (production hardening): the PageBased engine is NOT yet OLTP-ready — measured UPDATE is
+    /// ~26K ops/s vs ~245K ops/s on the fixed-width Columnar (AppendOnly) path. Auto selection
+    /// therefore routes the default General workload (and the unknown-hint fallback) to
+    /// AppendOnly/Columnar until PageBased reaches UPDATE/DELETE parity.
+    ///
     /// When StorageEngineType = Auto, the engine is selected based on this hint.
     /// </summary>
     public WorkloadHint WorkloadHint { get; init; } = WorkloadHint.General;
@@ -583,14 +589,15 @@ public Interfaces.StorageEngineType GetOptimalStorageEngine()
             return StorageEngineType;
         }
 
-        // Auto-select based on workload hint
+        // Auto-select based on workload hint. PageBased is deliberately not selected for General /
+        // unknown hints (and should be treated as opt-in only) until its UPDATE/DELETE fast paths
+        // reach the fixed-width Columnar engine's parity (see class-level note).
         return WorkloadHint switch
         {
             WorkloadHint.ReadHeavy => Interfaces.StorageEngineType.Columnar,
             WorkloadHint.Analytics => Interfaces.StorageEngineType.Columnar,
-            WorkloadHint.WriteHeavy => Interfaces.StorageEngineType.PageBased,
-            WorkloadHint.General => Interfaces.StorageEngineType.PageBased,
-            _ => Interfaces.StorageEngineType.PageBased // Default to PAGE_BASED (safest choice)
+            WorkloadHint.General => Interfaces.StorageEngineType.AppendOnly,
+            _ => Interfaces.StorageEngineType.AppendOnly
         };
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/SharpCoreDB.Tests/DefaultEngineSelectionTests.cs b/tests/SharpCoreDB.Tests/DefaultEngineSelectionTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..855ccdc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/SharpCoreDB.Tests/DefaultEngineSelectionTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+// <copyright file="DefaultEngineSelectionTests.cs" company="MPCoreDeveloper">
+// Copyright (c) 2026 MPCoreDeveloper. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
+// </copyright>
+namespace SharpCoreDB.Tests;
+
+using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
+using SharpCoreDB.DataStructures;
+using SharpCoreDB.Interfaces;
+using SharpCoreDB.Storage.Hybrid;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Linq;
+using Xunit;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Production-hardening regression: a database created with DEFAULT configuration must stay on the
+/// fast, hardened path — Columnar (AppendOnly) tables with the fixed-width record layout for PK
+/// tables and the single-pass contiguous DELETE fast path — and must never silently land on the
+/// not-yet-OLTP-ready PageBased engine through the Auto/WorkloadHint selection.
+/// </summary>
+public sealed class DefaultEngineSelectionTests : IDisposable
+{
+    private readonly DatabaseFactory _factory;
+    private readonly string _dirPath;
+
+    public DefaultEngineSelectionTests()
+    {
+        var services = new ServiceCollection();
+        services.AddSharpCoreDB();
+        _factory = services.BuildServiceProvider().GetRequiredService<DatabaseFactory>();
+        _dirPath = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), $"SCDB_DefaultEng_{Guid.NewGuid():N}");
+    }
+
+    public void Dispose()
+    {
+        try { if (Directory.Exists(_dirPath)) Directory.Delete(_dirPath, true); } catch { }
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void DefaultConfig_AutoSelection_PrefersAppendOnlyOverPageBased()
+    {
+        // Regression: WorkloadHint.General (the default) and unknown hints used to resolve Auto to
+        // PageBased, which is not OLTP-ready (measured UPDATE ~26K ops/s vs ~245K on the
+        // fixed-width Columnar path). Explicit PageBased opt-in must remain possible.
+        var config = new DatabaseConfig();
+
+        Assert.Equal(StorageEngineType.Auto, config.StorageEngineType);
+        Assert.Equal(StorageEngineType.AppendOnly, config.GetOptimalStorageEngine());
+
+        var explicitPageBased = new DatabaseConfig { StorageEngineType = StorageEngineType.PageBased };
+        Assert.Equal(StorageEngineType.PageBased, explicitPageBased.GetOptimalStorageEngine());
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void DefaultDatabase_NewPkTable_UsesColumnarFixedWidthAndContiguousDelete()
+    {
+        var db = _factory.Create(_dirPath, "pw", isReadOnly: false, config: new DatabaseConfig());
+        try
+        {
+            db.ExecuteSQL("CREATE TABLE docs (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, name TEXT, score REAL)");
+            Assert.True(db.TryGetTable("docs", out var t));
+            var table = Assert.IsType<Table>(t);
+
+            Assert.Equal(StorageMode.Columnar, table.StorageMode);
+            Assert.True(table.IsFixedWidthRecords, "default new PK table must use the fixed-width record layout");
+            Assert.Equal(StorageEngineType.AppendOnly, table.GetStorageEngineType());
+
+            var stmts = new List<string>(1000);
+            for (int i = 1; i <= 1000; i++)
+            {
+                stmts.Add($"INSERT INTO docs VALUES ({i}, 'user{i}', {i * 0.5})");
+            }
+
+            db.ExecuteBatchSQL(stmts);
+            db.Flush();
+
+            var dels = new List<string>(500);
+            for (int i = 1; i <= 500; i++)
+            {
+                dels.Add($"DELETE FROM docs WHERE id = {i}");
+            }
+
+            db.ExecuteBatchSQL(dels);
+            db.Flush();
+
+            Assert.Equal(1, table.BulkContiguousDeleteBatches); // fast path engaged on default config
+            Assert.Equal(500, db.ExecuteQuery("SELECT id FROM docs").Count);
+
+            // No PageBased .pages artifact may appear for a default Columnar table.
+            Assert.False(Directory.EnumerateFiles(_dirPath, "*.pages").Any());
+        }
+        finally { (db as IDisposable)?.Dispose(); }
+    }
+}