diff --git a/agent/consul/leader.go b/agent/consul/leader.go
index fcbf794541..86ac10bb12 100644
--- a/agent/consul/leader.go
+++ b/agent/consul/leader.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package consul
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"reflect"
@@ -16,20 +17,27 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/armon/go-metrics"
 	"github.com/armon/go-metrics/prometheus"
+	"github.com/oklog/ulid/v2"
+	"golang.org/x/time/rate"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/anypb"
+
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-hclog"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-uuid"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-version"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/raft"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/serf/serf"
-	"golang.org/x/time/rate"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/acl"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/metadata"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/structs"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/structs/aclfilter"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/api"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/resource"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/storage"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/lib"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/logging"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/proto-public/pbresource"
+	pbtenancy "github.com/hashicorp/consul/proto-public/pbtenancy/v2beta1"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/types"
 )
 
@@ -341,6 +349,12 @@ func (s *Server) establishLeadership(ctx context.Context) error {
 		s.startLogVerification(ctx)
 	}
 
+	if s.useV2Tenancy {
+		if err := s.initTenancy(ctx, s.resourceServiceServer.Backend); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	if s.config.Reporting.License.Enabled && s.reportingManager != nil {
 		s.reportingManager.StartReportingAgent()
 	}
@@ -1449,3 +1463,61 @@ func (s *serversIntentionsAsConfigEntriesInfo) update(srv *metadata.Server) bool
 	// prevent continuing server evaluation
 	return false
 }
+
+func (s *Server) initTenancy(ctx context.Context, b storage.Backend) error {
+	// we write these defaults directly to the storage backend
+	// without going through the resource service since tenancy
+	// validation hooks block writes to the default namespace
+	// and partition.
+	if err := s.createDefaultPartition(ctx, b); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := s.createDefaultNamespace(ctx, b); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *Server) createDefaultNamespace(ctx context.Context, b storage.Backend) error {
+	readID := &pbresource.ID{
+		Type:    pbtenancy.NamespaceType,
+		Name:    resource.DefaultNamespaceName,
+		Tenancy: resource.DefaultPartitionedTenancy(),
+	}
+
+	read, err := b.Read(ctx, storage.StrongConsistency, readID)
+
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, storage.ErrNotFound) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read the %q namespace: %v", resource.DefaultNamespaceName, err)
+	}
+	if read == nil && errors.Is(err, storage.ErrNotFound) {
+		nsData, err := anypb.New(&pbtenancy.Namespace{Description: "default namespace in default partition"})
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		// create a default namespace in default partition
+		nsID := &pbresource.ID{
+			Type:    pbtenancy.NamespaceType,
+			Name:    resource.DefaultNamespaceName,
+			Tenancy: resource.DefaultPartitionedTenancy(),
+			Uid:     ulid.Make().String(),
+		}
+
+		_, err = b.WriteCAS(ctx, &pbresource.Resource{
+			Id:         nsID,
+			Generation: ulid.Make().String(),
+			Data:       nsData,
+			Metadata: map[string]string{
+				"generated_at": time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339),
+			},
+		})
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to create the %q namespace: %v", resource.DefaultNamespaceName, err)
+		}
+	}
+	s.logger.Info("Created", "namespace", resource.DefaultNamespaceName)
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/agent/consul/leader_ce.go b/agent/consul/leader_ce.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d67b7bded
--- /dev/null
+++ b/agent/consul/leader_ce.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
+
+//go:build !consulent
+
+package consul
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/storage"
+)
+
+func (s *Server) createDefaultPartition(ctx context.Context, b storage.Backend) error {
+	// no-op
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/agent/consul/leader_ce_test.go b/agent/consul/leader_ce_test.go
index 8988adb9f7..23009cfbc3 100644
--- a/agent/consul/leader_ce_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/leader_ce_test.go
@@ -5,7 +5,19 @@
 
 package consul
 
-import libserf "github.com/hashicorp/consul/lib/serf"
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/resource"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/storage"
+	libserf "github.com/hashicorp/consul/lib/serf"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/proto-public/pbresource"
+	pbtenancy "github.com/hashicorp/consul/proto-public/pbtenancy/v2beta1"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/testrpc"
+)
 
 func updateSerfTags(s *Server, key, value string) {
 	libserf.UpdateTag(s.serfLAN, key, value)
@@ -14,3 +26,41 @@ func updateSerfTags(s *Server, key, value string) {
 		libserf.UpdateTag(s.serfWAN, key, value)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestServer_InitTenancy(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	_, conf := testServerConfig(t)
+	deps := newDefaultDeps(t, conf)
+	deps.Experiments = []string{"v2tenancy"}
+	deps.Registry = NewTypeRegistry()
+
+	s, err := newServerWithDeps(t, conf, deps)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// first initTenancy call happens here
+	waitForLeaderEstablishment(t, s)
+	testrpc.WaitForLeader(t, s.RPC, "dc1")
+
+	nsID := &pbresource.ID{
+		Type:    pbtenancy.NamespaceType,
+		Tenancy: resource.DefaultPartitionedTenancy(),
+		Name:    resource.DefaultNamespaceName,
+	}
+
+	ns, err := s.resourceServiceServer.Backend.Read(context.Background(), storage.StrongConsistency, nsID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, resource.DefaultNamespaceName, ns.Id.Name)
+
+	// explicitly call initiTenancy to verify we do not re-create namespace
+	err = s.initTenancy(context.Background(), s.resourceServiceServer.Backend)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// read again
+	actual, err := s.resourceServiceServer.Backend.Read(context.Background(), storage.StrongConsistency, nsID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.Equal(t, ns.Id.Uid, actual.Id.Uid)
+	require.Equal(t, ns.Generation, actual.Generation)
+	require.Equal(t, ns.Version, actual.Version)
+}
diff --git a/agent/consul/server.go b/agent/consul/server.go
index 32829318bc..0e722f99f9 100644
--- a/agent/consul/server.go
+++ b/agent/consul/server.go
@@ -20,9 +20,13 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/armon/go-metrics"
-	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/auth"
-	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/mesh"
-	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/multicluster"
+	"go.etcd.io/bbolt"
+	"golang.org/x/time/rate"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/reflection"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul-net-rpc/net/rpc"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-connlimit"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-hclog"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-memdb"
@@ -33,13 +37,7 @@ import (
 	walmetrics "github.com/hashicorp/raft-wal/metrics"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/raft-wal/verifier"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/serf/serf"
-	"go.etcd.io/bbolt"
-	"golang.org/x/time/rate"
-	"google.golang.org/grpc"
-	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
-	"google.golang.org/grpc/reflection"
 
-	"github.com/hashicorp/consul-net-rpc/net/rpc"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/acl"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/acl/resolver"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/blockingquery"
@@ -73,9 +71,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/rpc/peering"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/structs"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/token"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/auth"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/catalog"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/controller"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/mesh"
 	proxysnapshot "github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/mesh/proxy-snapshot"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/multicluster"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/resource"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/resource/demo"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/internal/resource/reaper"
diff --git a/agent/consul/server_ce.go b/agent/consul/server_ce.go
index fb3e55e765..fd554ca2c3 100644
--- a/agent/consul/server_ce.go
+++ b/agent/consul/server_ce.go
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/armon/go-metrics"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/serf/coordinate"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/serf/serf"
-	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/acl"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/consul/reporting"