diff --git a/changelog/23585.txt b/changelog/23585.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..42c9a498c67b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/23585.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+ui: Assumes version 1 for kv engines when options are null because no version is specified
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/app/serializers/secret-engine.js b/ui/app/serializers/secret-engine.js
index 2c22ff5df269..37d51f599540 100644
--- a/ui/app/serializers/secret-engine.js
+++ b/ui/app/serializers/secret-engine.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export default ApplicationSerializer.extend(EmbeddedRecordsMixin, {
     for (const attribute in backend) {
       struct[attribute] = backend[attribute];
     }
-    //queryRecord adds path to the response
+    // queryRecord adds path to the response
     if (path !== null && !struct.path) {
       struct.path = path;
     }
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ export default ApplicationSerializer.extend(EmbeddedRecordsMixin, {
     // strip the trailing slash off of the path so we
     // can navigate to it without getting `//` in the url
     struct.id = struct.path.slice(0, -1);
+
+    if (backend?.type === 'kv' && !backend?.options?.version) {
+      // enabling kv in the CLI without a version flag mounts a v1 engine
+      // however, when no version is specified the options key is null
+      // we explicitly set v1 here, otherwise v2 is pulled from the ember model default
+      struct.options = { version: '1', ...struct.options };
+    }
     return struct;
   },
 
diff --git a/ui/tests/unit/serializers/secret-engine-test.js b/ui/tests/unit/serializers/secret-engine-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ede64c9e0fc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/tests/unit/serializers/secret-engine-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
+ */
+
+import { module, test } from 'qunit';
+import { setupTest } from 'ember-qunit';
+
+module('Unit | Serializer | secret-engine', function (hooks) {
+  setupTest(hooks);
+
+  hooks.beforeEach(function () {
+    this.serializer = this.owner.lookup('serializer:secret-engine');
+    this.path = 'kv-engine/';
+    this.backend = {
+      accessor: 'kv_77813cc8',
+      config: {
+        default_lease_ttl: 0,
+        force_no_cache: false,
+        max_lease_ttl: 0,
+      },
+      deprecation_status: 'supported',
+      description: '',
+      external_entropy_access: false,
+      local: true,
+      options: null,
+      plugin_version: '',
+      running_plugin_version: 'v0.16.1+builtin',
+      running_sha256: '',
+      seal_wrap: false,
+      type: 'kv',
+      uuid: '400a4673-6bd9-1336-b84c-caf43ee28340',
+    };
+  });
+
+  test('it should not overwrite options for version 2', async function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(1);
+    this.backend.options = { version: '2' };
+    const expectedData = {
+      ...this.backend,
+      id: 'kv-engine',
+      path: 'kv-engine/',
+      options: {
+        version: '2',
+      },
+    };
+    assert.propEqual(
+      this.serializer.normalizeBackend(this.path, this.backend),
+      expectedData,
+      'options contain version 2'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('it should add version 1 for kv mounts when options is null', async function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(1);
+
+    const expectedData = {
+      ...this.backend,
+      id: 'kv-engine',
+      path: 'kv-engine/',
+      options: {
+        version: '1',
+      },
+    };
+    assert.propEqual(
+      this.serializer.normalizeBackend(this.path, this.backend),
+      expectedData,
+      'options contains version 1'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('it should add version 1 for kv mounts if options has data but no version key', async function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(1);
+
+    this.backend.options = { foo: 'bar' };
+    const expectedData = {
+      ...this.backend,
+      id: 'kv-engine',
+      path: 'kv-engine/',
+      options: {
+        foo: 'bar',
+        version: '1',
+      },
+    };
+
+    assert.propEqual(
+      this.serializer.normalizeBackend(this.path, this.backend),
+      expectedData,
+      'it adds version 1 to existing options'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('it should not update options for non-kv engines', async function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(1);
+
+    const cubbyholeData = {
+      accessor: 'cubbyhole_8a89fbc7',
+      config: {
+        default_lease_ttl: 0,
+        force_no_cache: false,
+        max_lease_ttl: 0,
+      },
+      description: 'per-token private secret storage',
+      external_entropy_access: false,
+      local: true,
+      options: null,
+      plugin_version: '',
+      running_plugin_version: 'v1.15.0+builtin.vault',
+      running_sha256: '',
+      seal_wrap: false,
+      type: 'cubbyhole',
+      uuid: 'a7638176-6c6e-2c65-0e50-05d689ef7fc8',
+    };
+
+    const expectedData = {
+      ...cubbyholeData,
+      id: 'cubbyhole',
+      path: 'cubbyhole/',
+    };
+    assert.propEqual(
+      this.serializer.normalizeBackend('cubbyhole/', cubbyholeData),
+      expectedData,
+      'options are still null'
+    );
+  });
+});