diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 13077d49e..c74016764 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -594,6 +594,8 @@ services:
       SITES_DOMAIN: tngl.io
       KNOTMIRROR_URL: https://mirror.tngl.boltless.dev
       DELIBERI_URL: https://deliberi.tngl.boltless.dev
+      PRIMARY_KNOT: knot2.tngl.boltless.dev
+      PRIMARY_SPINDLE: spindle.tngl.boltless.dev
       CAMO_URL: https://camo.tngl.boltless.dev
       CAMO_SHARED_SECRET: localinfra-camo-secret
       AVATAR_URL: https://avatar.tngl.boltless.dev
diff --git a/web/src/app.d.ts b/web/src/app.d.ts
index fbdefa38d..9763b6245 100644
--- a/web/src/app.d.ts
+++ b/web/src/app.d.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ declare global {
 				deliberiUrl: string;
 				sitesDomain: string;
 				moderationServiceDid: string;
+				primaryKnotHostname: string;
+				primarySpindleHostname: string;
 				turnstileSiteKey: string;
 				camoEnabled: boolean;
 				// when the server defers the diff fetch to the browser
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/repo/RepoCreationForm.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/repo/RepoCreationForm.svelte
index d815bfa27..33fb43d74 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/repo/RepoCreationForm.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/repo/RepoCreationForm.svelte
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 	import { goto } from "$app/navigation";
 	import { resolve } from "$app/paths";
+	import { page } from "$app/state";
 	import type { Component } from "svelte";
 	import { untrack } from "svelte";
 	import type { SvelteHTMLElements } from "svelte/elements";
@@ -79,8 +80,9 @@
 					.catch(() => NOTHING_SAVED)
 			: Promise.resolve(NOTHING_SAVED);
 		preferences = loading;
-		void loading.then(({ knots }) => {
+		void loading.then(({ knots: saved }) => {
 			if (!current) return;
+			const knots = makeKnotList(saved);
 			if (!knots.includes(selectedKnot)) selectedKnot = knots[0] ?? "";
 		});
 		return () => {
@@ -103,6 +105,15 @@
 		);
 		await goto(resolve(`/${repo.ownerHandle}/${repo.name}` as "/"));
 	});
+
+	const makeKnotList = (knots: string[] = []): string[] => [
+		...new Set([page.data.publicConfig?.primaryKnotHostname ?? "", ...knots].filter(Boolean))
+	];
+	const makeSpindleList = (spindles: string[] = []): string[] => [
+		...new Set(
+			[page.data.publicConfig?.primarySpindleHostname ?? "", ...spindles].filter(Boolean)
+		)
+	];
 </script>
 
 <form
@@ -211,7 +222,7 @@
 						{#await preferences}
 							<Bones capture={bonesRadioLoadingRow} class="w-36.25" />
 						{:then saved}
-							{#each saved.knots as knot (knot)}
+							{#each makeKnotList(saved.knots) as knot (knot)}
 								<div>
 									<Radio value={knot} bind:group={selectedKnot} name="knot">
 										{knot}
@@ -264,7 +275,7 @@
 					{#await preferences}
 						<Bones capture={bonesRadioLoadingRow} class="w-36.25" />
 					{:then saved}
-						{#each saved.spindles as spindle (spindle)}
+						{#each makeSpindleList(saved.spindles) as spindle (spindle)}
 							<div>
 								<Radio value={spindle} bind:group={selectedSpindle} name="spindle">
 									{spindle}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/server/config.ts b/web/src/lib/server/config.ts
index 61a572c15..ded88b2e7 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/server/config.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/server/config.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ export type WebConfig = {
 	camoSecret: string;
 	avatarSecret: string;
 	moderationServiceDid: string;
+	primaryKnotHostname: string;
+	primarySpindleHostname: string;
 	turnstileSiteKey: string;
 	/** see SSR_DIFF_MAX_BYTES */
 	ssrDiffMaxBytes: number;
@@ -40,6 +42,8 @@ export type PublicWebConfig = Pick<
 	| "deliberiUrl"
 	| "sitesDomain"
 	| "moderationServiceDid"
+	| "primaryKnotHostname"
+	| "primarySpindleHostname"
 	| "turnstileSiteKey"
 	| "ssrDiffMaxBytes"
 	| "ogreUrl"
@@ -62,6 +66,8 @@ type WebConfigEnv = {
 	AVATAR_SHARED_SECRET?: string;
 	OGRE_URL?: string;
 	MODERATION_SERVICE_DID?: string;
+	PRIMARY_KNOT?: string;
+	PRIMARY_SPINDLE?: string;
 	TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY?: string;
 	/** diff payloads above this many bytes are not buffered through the ssr
 	 * worker; the page refetches them from the browser instead. "0" disables */
@@ -80,6 +86,8 @@ export const resolveConfig = (values: WebConfigEnv): WebConfig => ({
 	camoSecret: values.CAMO_SHARED_SECRET?.trim() ?? "",
 	avatarSecret: values.AVATAR_SHARED_SECRET?.trim() ?? "",
 	moderationServiceDid: values.MODERATION_SERVICE_DID?.trim() ?? "",
+	primaryKnotHostname: values.PRIMARY_KNOT?.trim() ?? "knot1.tangled.sh",
+	primarySpindleHostname: values.PRIMARY_SPINDLE?.trim() ?? "spindle.tangled.sh",
 	turnstileSiteKey: values.TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY?.trim() ?? "",
 	ssrDiffMaxBytes: bytes(values.SSR_DIFF_MAX_BYTES, 5 * 1024 * 1024)
 });
@@ -97,6 +105,8 @@ export const getPublicConfig = (): PublicWebConfig => {
 		deliberiUrl: config.deliberiUrl,
 		sitesDomain: config.sitesDomain,
 		moderationServiceDid: config.moderationServiceDid,
+		primaryKnotHostname: config.primaryKnotHostname,
+		primarySpindleHostname: config.primarySpindleHostname,
 		turnstileSiteKey: config.turnstileSiteKey,
 		ssrDiffMaxBytes: config.ssrDiffMaxBytes,
 		ogreUrl: config.ogreUrl,