diff --git a/app/models/concerns/account_settings.rb b/app/models/concerns/account_settings.rb
index 1fb4fc198..2e9dc2e91 100644
--- a/app/models/concerns/account_settings.rb
+++ b/app/models/concerns/account_settings.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ module AccountSettings
     setting :allow_downloads, type: 'boolean', default: true
     setting :allow_signup, type: 'boolean', default: true
     setting :analytics_provider, type: 'string'
-    setting :bulkrax_field_mappings, type: 'json_editor', default: Bulkrax.field_mappings.to_json
+    setting :bulkrax_field_mappings, type: 'json_editor', default: Hyku.default_bulkrax_field_mappings.to_json
     setting :bulkrax_validations, type: 'boolean', disabled: true
     setting :cache_api, type: 'boolean', default: false
     setting :contact_email, type: 'string', default: 'change-me-in-settings@example.com'
diff --git a/config/application.rb b/config/application.rb
index 5ba253e80..e0845ee54 100644
--- a/config/application.rb
+++ b/config/application.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,100 @@ def self.bulkrax_enabled?
     ActiveModel::Type::Boolean.new.cast(ENV.fetch('HYKU_BULKRAX_ENABLED', true))
   end
 
+  # This represents the default Bulkrax field mappings that new Accounts will be initialized with.
+  # Bulkrax field mappings should not be configured within the Bulkrax initializer in Hyku.
+  # @see lib/bulkrax/bulkrax_decorator.rb
+  # @see https://github.com/samvera/bulkrax/wiki/Configuring-Bulkrax#field-mappings
+  def self.default_bulkrax_field_mappings
+    default_bulkrax_fm = {}
+    defaults = {
+      'abstract' => { from: ['abstract'], split: true },
+      'accessibility_feature' => { from: ['accessibility_feature'], split: '\|' },
+      'accessibility_hazard' => { from: ['accessibility_hazard'], split: '\|' },
+      'accessibility_summary' => { from: ['accessibility_summary'] },
+      'additional_information' => { from: ['additional_information'], split: '\|', generated: true },
+      'admin_note' => { from: ['admin_note'] },
+      'admin_set_id' => { from: ['admin_set_id'], generated: true },
+      'alternate_version' => { from: ['alternate_version'], split: '\|' },
+      'alternative_title' => { from: ['alternative_title'], split: '\|', generated: true },
+      'arkivo_checksum' => { from: ['arkivo_checksum'], split: '\|', generated: true },
+      'audience' => { from: ['audience'], split: '\|' },
+      'based_near' => { from: ['location'], split: '\|' },
+      'bibliographic_citation' => { from: ['bibliographic_citation'], split: true },
+      'contributor' => { from: ['contributor'], split: true },
+      'create_date' => { from: ['create_date'], split: true },
+      'children' => { from: ['children'], related_children_field_mapping: true },
+      'committee_member' => { from: ['committee_member'], split: '\|' },
+      'creator' => { from: ['creator'], split: true },
+      'date_created' => { from: ['date_created'], split: true },
+      'date_uploaded' => { from: ['date_uploaded'], generated: true },
+      'degree_discipline' => { from: ['discipline'], split: '\|' },
+      'degree_grantor' => { from: ['grantor'], split: '\|' },
+      'degree_level' => { from: ['level'], split: '\|' },
+      'degree_name' => { from: ['degree'], split: '\|' },
+      'depositor' => { from: ['depositor'], split: '\|', generated: true },
+      'description' => { from: ['description'], split: true },
+      'discipline' => { from: ['discipline'], split: '\|' },
+      'education_level' => { from: ['education_level'], split: '\|' },
+      'embargo_id' => { from: ['embargo_id'], generated: true },
+      'extent' => { from: ['extent'], split: true },
+      'file' => { from: ['file'], split: /\s*[|]\s*/ },
+      'identifier' => { from: ['identifier'], split: true },
+      'import_url' => { from: ['import_url'], split: '\|', generated: true },
+      'keyword' => { from: ['keyword'], split: true },
+      'label' => { from: ['label'], generated: true },
+      'language' => { from: ['language'], split: true },
+      'lease_id' => { from: ['lease_id'], generated: true },
+      'library_catalog_identifier' => { from: ['library_catalog_identifier'], split: '\|' },
+      'license' => { from: ['license'], split: /\s*[|]\s*/ },
+      'modified_date' => { from: ['modified_date'], split: true },
+      'newer_version' => { from: ['newer_version'], split: '\|' },
+      'oer_size' => { from: ['oer_size'], split: '\|' },
+      'on_behalf_of' => { from: ['on_behalf_of'], generated: true },
+      'owner' => { from: ['owner'], generated: true },
+      'parents' => { from: ['parents'], related_parents_field_mapping: true },
+      'previous_version' => { from: ['previous_version'], split: '\|' },
+      'publisher' => { from: ['publisher'], split: true },
+      'related_item' => { from: ['related_item'], split: '\|' },
+      'relative_path' => { from: ['relative_path'], split: '\|', generated: true },
+      'related_url' => { from: ['related_url', 'relation'], split: /\s* [|]\s*/ },
+      'remote_files' => { from: ['remote_files'], split: /\s*[|]\s*/ },
+      'rendering_ids' => { from: ['rendering_ids'], split: '\|', generated: true },
+      'resource_type' => { from: ['resource_type'], split: true },
+      'rights_holder' => { from: ['rights_holder'], split: '\|' },
+      'rights_notes' => { from: ['rights_notes'], split: true },
+      'rights_statement' => { from: ['rights', 'rights_statement'], split: '\|', generated: true },
+      'source' => { from: ['source'], split: true },
+      'state' => { from: ['state'], generated: true },
+      'subject' => { from: ['subject'], split: true },
+      'table_of_contents' => { from: ['table_of_contents'], split: '\|' },
+      'title' => { from: ['title'], split: /\s*[|]\s*/ },
+      'video_embed' => { from: ['video_embed'] }
+    }
+
+    default_bulkrax_fm['Bulkrax::BagitParser'] = defaults.merge({
+      # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
+    })
+
+    default_bulkrax_fm['Bulkrax::CsvParser'] = defaults.merge({
+      # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
+    })
+
+    default_bulkrax_fm['Bulkrax::OaiDcParser'] = defaults.merge({
+      # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
+    })
+
+    default_bulkrax_fm['Bulkrax::OaiQualifiedDcParser'] = defaults.merge({
+      # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
+    })
+
+    default_bulkrax_fm['Bulkrax::XmlParser'] = defaults.merge({
+      # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
+    })
+
+    default_bulkrax_fm.with_indifferent_access
+  end
+
   # rubocop:disable Metrics/ClassLength
   class Application < Rails::Application
     ##
diff --git a/config/initializers/bulkrax.rb b/config/initializers/bulkrax.rb
index 5184f11a8..edeeca7fe 100644
--- a/config/initializers/bulkrax.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/bulkrax.rb
@@ -45,99 +45,13 @@
     # config.collection_field_mapping['Bulkrax::RdfEntry'] = 'http://opaquenamespace.org/ns/set'
 
     # Field mappings
-    # Create a completely new set of mappings by replacing the whole set as follows
-    #   config.field_mappings = {
-    #     "Bulkrax::OaiDcParser" => { **individual field mappings go here*** }
-    #   }
-
-    # Add to, or change existing mappings as follows
-    #   e.g. to exclude date
-    #   config.field_mappings["Bulkrax::OaiDcParser"]["date"] = { from: ["date"], excluded: true  }
-
-    default_field_mapping = {
-      'abstract' => { from: ['abstract'], split: true },
-      'accessibility_feature' => { from: ['accessibility_feature'], split: '\|' },
-      'accessibility_hazard' => { from: ['accessibility_hazard'], split: '\|' },
-      'accessibility_summary' => { from: ['accessibility_summary'] },
-      'additional_information' => { from: ['additional_information'], split: '\|', generated: true },
-      'admin_note' => { from: ['admin_note'] },
-      'admin_set_id' => { from: ['admin_set_id'], generated: true },
-      'alternate_version' => { from: ['alternate_version'], split: '\|' },
-      'alternative_title' => { from: ['alternative_title'], split: '\|', generated: true },
-      'arkivo_checksum' => { from: ['arkivo_checksum'], split: '\|', generated: true },
-      'audience' => { from: ['audience'], split: '\|' },
-      'based_near' => { from: ['location'], split: '\|' },
-      'bibliographic_citation' => { from: ['bibliographic_citation'], split: true },
-      'contributor' => { from: ['contributor'], split: true },
-      'create_date' => { from: ['create_date'], split: true },
-      'children' => { from: ['children'], related_children_field_mapping: true },
-      'committee_member' => { from: ['committee_member'], split: '\|' },
-      'creator' => { from: ['creator'], split: true },
-      'date_created' => { from: ['date_created'], split: true },
-      'date_uploaded' => { from: ['date_uploaded'], generated: true },
-      'degree_discipline' => { from: ['discipline'], split: '\|' },
-      'degree_grantor' => { from: ['grantor'], split: '\|' },
-      'degree_level' => { from: ['level'], split: '\|' },
-      'degree_name' => { from: ['degree'], split: '\|' },
-      'depositor' => { from: ['depositor'], split: '\|', generated: true },
-      'description' => { from: ['description'], split: true },
-      'discipline' => { from: ['discipline'], split: '\|' },
-      'education_level' => { from: ['education_level'], split: '\|' },
-      'embargo_id' => { from: ['embargo_id'], generated: true },
-      'extent' => { from: ['extent'], split: true },
-      'file' => { from: ['file'], split: /\s*[|]\s*/ },
-      'identifier' => { from: ['identifier'], split: true },
-      'import_url' => { from: ['import_url'], split: '\|', generated: true },
-      'keyword' => { from: ['keyword'], split: true },
-      'label' => { from: ['label'], generated: true },
-      'language' => { from: ['language'], split: true },
-      'lease_id' => { from: ['lease_id'], generated: true },
-      'library_catalog_identifier' => { from: ['library_catalog_identifier'], split: '\|' },
-      'license' => { from: ['license'], split: /\s*[|]\s*/ },
-      'modified_date' => { from: ['modified_date'], split: true },
-      'newer_version' => { from: ['newer_version'], split: '\|' },
-      'oer_size' => { from: ['oer_size'], split: '\|' },
-      'on_behalf_of' => { from: ['on_behalf_of'], generated: true },
-      'owner' => { from: ['owner'], generated: true },
-      'parents' => { from: ['parents'], related_parents_field_mapping: true },
-      'previous_version' => { from: ['previous_version'], split: '\|' },
-      'publisher' => { from: ['publisher'], split: true },
-      'related_item' => { from: ['related_item'], split: '\|' },
-      'relative_path' => { from: ['relative_path'], split: '\|', generated: true },
-      'related_url' => { from: ['related_url', 'relation'], split: /\s* [|]\s*/ },
-      'remote_files' => { from: ['remote_files'], split: /\s*[|]\s*/ },
-      'rendering_ids' => { from: ['rendering_ids'], split: '\|', generated: true },
-      'resource_type' => { from: ['resource_type'], split: true },
-      'rights_holder' => { from: ['rights_holder'], split: '\|' },
-      'rights_notes' => { from: ['rights_notes'], split: true },
-      'rights_statement' => { from: ['rights', 'rights_statement'], split: '\|', generated: true },
-      'source' => { from: ['source'], split: true },
-      'state' => { from: ['state'], generated: true },
-      'subject' => { from: ['subject'], split: true },
-      'table_of_contents' => { from: ['table_of_contents'], split: '\|' },
-      'title' => { from: ['title'], split: /\s*[|]\s*/ },
-      'video_embed' => { from: ['video_embed'] }
-    }
-
-    config.field_mappings["Bulkrax::BagitParser"] = default_field_mapping.merge({
-                                                                                  # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
-                                                                                })
-
-    config.field_mappings["Bulkrax::CsvParser"] = default_field_mapping.merge({
-                                                                                # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
-                                                                              })
-
-    config.field_mappings["Bulkrax::OaiDcParser"] = default_field_mapping.merge({
-                                                                                  # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
-                                                                                })
-
-    config.field_mappings["Bulkrax::OaiQualifiedDcParser"] = default_field_mapping.merge({
-                                                                                           # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
-                                                                                         })
-
-    config.field_mappings["Bulkrax::XmlParser"] = default_field_mapping.merge({
-                                                                                # add or remove custom mappings for this parser here
-                                                                              })
+    # NOTE: Bulkrax field mappings are configured on a per-tenant basis in the Account settings.
+    # The default set of field mappings that new tenants will be initialized with can be found
+    # and/or modified in config/application.rb (Hyku#default_bulkrax_field_mappings)
+    # @see config/application.rb
+    # @see app/models/concerns/account_settings.rb
+    # WARN: Modifying Bulkrax's field mappings in this file will not work as expected
+    # @see lib/bulkrax/bulkrax_decorator.rb
 
     # Because Hyku now uses and assumes Valkyrie to query the repository layer, we need to match the
     # object factory to use Valkyrie.
diff --git a/lib/bulkrax/bulkrax_decorator.rb b/lib/bulkrax/bulkrax_decorator.rb
index 5df4c161a..08536eefe 100644
--- a/lib/bulkrax/bulkrax_decorator.rb
+++ b/lib/bulkrax/bulkrax_decorator.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ def field_mappings
     if Site.account.present? && Site.account.bulkrax_field_mappings.present?
       JSON.parse(Site.account.bulkrax_field_mappings).with_indifferent_access
     else
-      super
+      Hyku.default_bulkrax_field_mappings.presence || super
     end
   end
 end