diff --git a/invenio_cli/cli/containers.py b/invenio_cli/cli/containers.py
index 0212bb7..1517dcd 100644
--- a/invenio_cli/cli/containers.py
+++ b/invenio_cli/cli/containers.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def setup(cli_config, force, no_demo_data, stop_services, services):
 def status(ctx, verbose):
     """Checks if the services are up and running.
 
-    NOTE: currently only search, DB (postgresql/mysql) and redis are supported.
+    NOTE: currently only search (opensearch2), DB (postgresql) and redis are supported.
     """
     ctx.invoke(services_status_cmd, verbose=verbose)
 
diff --git a/invenio_cli/cli/services.py b/invenio_cli/cli/services.py
index b85176e..69fce1f 100644
--- a/invenio_cli/cli/services.py
+++ b/invenio_cli/cli/services.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def setup(cli_config, force, no_demo_data, stop_services, services):
 def status(cli_config, verbose):
     """Checks if the services are up and running.
 
-    NOTE: currently only search (OS/ES), DB (postgresql/mysql) and redis are supported.
+    NOTE: currently only search (opensearch2), DB (postgresql) and redis are supported.
     """
     commands = ServicesCommands(cli_config)
     services = ["redis", cli_config.get_db_type(), "search"]
diff --git a/invenio_cli/helpers/cli_config.py b/invenio_cli/helpers/cli_config.py
index 3592cbe..ca72236 100644
--- a/invenio_cli/helpers/cli_config.py
+++ b/invenio_cli/helpers/cli_config.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019-2020 Northwestern University.
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 Esteban J. G. Gabancho.
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2024 Graz University of Technology.
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025-2026 KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 """Invenio-cli configuration file."""
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ def javascript_package_manager(self) -> JavascriptPackageManager:
         elif manager_name == PNPM.name:
             return PNPM()
 
-        return NPM()
+        return PNPM()
 
     def get_project_dir(self):
         """Returns path to project directory."""
@@ -166,23 +167,12 @@ def get_web_host(self):
         return self.private_config[CLIConfig.CLI_SECTION].get("web_host", "127.0.0.1")
 
     def get_db_type(self):
-        """Returns the database type (mysql, postgresql)."""
-        return self.config[CLIConfig.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION]["database"]
+        """Returns the database type."""
+        return self.config[CLIConfig.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION].get("database", "postgresql")
 
     def get_search_type(self):
-        """Returns the search type (opensearch1, elasticsearch7)."""
-        sections = self.config[CLIConfig.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION]
-        if "elasticsearch" in sections:
-            # cookiecutter < v10
-            version = sections["elasticsearch"]
-            return f"elasticsearch{version}"
-        elif "search" in sections:
-            # cookiecutter >= v10
-            return sections["search"]
-        else:
-            raise InvenioCLIConfigError(
-                "`search` or `elasticsearch` field not set in .invenio file"
-            )
+        """Returns the search type."""
+        return self.config[CLIConfig.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION].get("search", "opensearch2")
 
     def get_file_storage(self):
         """Returns the file storage (local, s3, etc.)."""
@@ -223,11 +213,16 @@ def write(cls, project_dir, flavour, replay):
         config_parser[cls.CLI_SECTION] = {}
         config_parser[cls.CLI_SECTION]["flavour"] = flavour
         config_parser[cls.CLI_SECTION]["logfile"] = "/logs/invenio-cli.log"
+        config_parser[cls.CLI_SECTION]["javascript_package_manager"] = PNPM.name
 
         # Cookiecutter user input section
         config_parser[cls.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION] = {}
         for key, value in replay[cls.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION].items():
             config_parser[cls.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION][key] = str(value)
+        # Keep compatibility with older tooling that expects `database` and `search` to exist.
+        # Backend choice has been removed; PostgreSQL and OpenSearch2 are fixed.
+        config_parser[cls.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION]["database"] = "postgresql"
+        config_parser[cls.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION]["search"] = "opensearch2"
 
         # Generated files section
         config_parser[cls.FILES_SECTION] = get_created_files(project_dir)
diff --git a/tests/helpers/test_cli_config.py b/tests/helpers/test_cli_config.py
index 071b64e..3eabbfa 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/test_cli_config.py
+++ b/tests/helpers/test_cli_config.py
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019-2020 CERN.
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019-2021 Northwestern University.
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025-2026 KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 """Module config_file tests."""
 
 import os
 import tempfile
+from configparser import ConfigParser
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
@@ -29,8 +31,6 @@ def test_cli_config_write():
             "author_name": "CERN",
             "author_email": "info@my-site.com",
             "year": "2022",
-            "database": "postgresql",
-            "search": "opensearch1",
             "_template": "https://github.com/inveniosoftware/cookiecutter-invenio-rdm.git",  # noqa
         }
     }
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ def config_dir():
             "author_name": "CERN",
             "author_email": "info@my-site.com",
             "year": "2022",
-            "database": "postgresql",
-            "search": "opensearch1",
             "_template": "https://github.com/inveniosoftware/cookiecutter-invenio-rdm.git",  # noqa
         }
     }
@@ -116,3 +114,32 @@ def test_cli_config_get_project_shortname(config_dir):
     cli_config = CLIConfig(config_dir)
 
     assert cli_config.get_project_shortname() == "my-site"
+
+
+def test_package_manager_and_service_defaults(tmpdir):
+    """Test package manager, database, and search defaults in CLI config."""
+    project_dir = tmpdir.mkdir("test-project")
+    flavour = "RDM"
+    replay = {
+        "cookiecutter": {
+            "project_name": "My Site",
+            "project_shortname": "my-site",
+            "project_site": "my-site.com",
+            "github_repo": "my-site/my-site",
+            "description": "Invenio RDM My Site Instance",
+            "author_name": "CERN",
+            "author_email": "info@my-site.com",
+            "year": "2022",
+            "_template": "https://github.com/inveniosoftware/cookiecutter-invenio-rdm.git",  # noqa
+        }
+    }
+    CLIConfig.write(str(project_dir), flavour, replay)
+
+    config = ConfigParser()
+    config_path = project_dir.join(CLIConfig.CONFIG_FILENAME)
+    config.read(str(config_path))
+
+    assert config.has_option(CLIConfig.CLI_SECTION, "javascript_package_manager")
+    assert config.get(CLIConfig.CLI_SECTION, "javascript_package_manager") == "pnpm"
+    assert config.get(CLIConfig.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION, "database") == "postgresql"
+    assert config.get(CLIConfig.COOKIECUTTER_SECTION, "search") == "opensearch2"