diff --git a/src/app/configuration/actionBuilder/ActionBuilderApi.ts b/src/app/configuration/actionBuilder/ActionBuilderApi.ts
index dd08187..a8f0ad2 100644
--- a/src/app/configuration/actionBuilder/ActionBuilderApi.ts
+++ b/src/app/configuration/actionBuilder/ActionBuilderApi.ts
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ export function deleteActionType(id: string): Promise<void> {
 // ─── Field Definition Endpoints ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 export function getFieldDefinitions(actionTypeId: string): Promise<FieldDefinition[]> {
-  return ApiClient.get<any, FieldDefinition[]>(`/master-data/action-types/${actionTypeId}/fields`);
+  return ApiClient.get<any, FieldDefinition[]>(`/master-data/action-types/${actionTypeId}/fields`)
+    .then(res => Array.isArray(res) ? res.sort((a, b) => (a.displayOrder ?? 0) - (b.displayOrder ?? 0)) : []);
 }
 
 export function createFieldDefinition(actionTypeId: string, payload: FieldDefinitionFormData): Promise<FieldDefinition> {
diff --git a/src/app/configuration/actionBuilder/index.tsx b/src/app/configuration/actionBuilder/index.tsx
index 3b459b5..0a25a86 100644
--- a/src/app/configuration/actionBuilder/index.tsx
+++ b/src/app/configuration/actionBuilder/index.tsx
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export default function ActionBuilderPage() {
     placeholder: '',
     helpText: '',
     width: 'full',
-    section: 'General Information',
+    section: '',
     displayOrder: 1,
     isActive: true,
     validationJson: { min: undefined, max: undefined, regex: '' },
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ export default function ActionBuilderPage() {
       placeholder: '',
       helpText: '',
       width: 'full',
-      section: 'General Information',
+      section: '',
       displayOrder: fields.length + 1,
       isActive: true,
       validationJson: { min: undefined, max: undefined, regex: '' },
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ export default function ActionBuilderPage() {
       placeholder: f.placeholder || '',
       helpText: f.helpText || '',
       width: f.width || 'full',
-      section: f.section || 'General Information',
+      section: f.section || '',
       displayOrder: f.displayOrder || 1,
       isActive: f.isActive !== false,
       validationJson: f.validationJson || { min: undefined, max: undefined, regex: '' },
diff --git a/src/app/policyEngine/PolicyEngineApi.ts b/src/app/policyEngine/PolicyEngineApi.ts
index 1101d9c..ff1f773 100644
--- a/src/app/policyEngine/PolicyEngineApi.ts
+++ b/src/app/policyEngine/PolicyEngineApi.ts
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ export function getOperatorOptions(): Promise<OptionItem[]> {
 export function getActionTypeFields(actionTypeId: string): Promise<ActionTypeField[]> {
     if (!actionTypeId) return Promise.resolve([]);
     return ApiClient.get<any, ActionTypeField[]>(`/master-data/action-types/${actionTypeId}/fields`)
-        .then((res) => (Array.isArray(res) ? res.filter((f) => f.isActive !== false) : []))
+        .then((res) => (Array.isArray(res) ? res.filter((f) => f.isActive !== false).sort((a, b) => (a.displayOrder ?? 0) - (b.displayOrder ?? 0)) : []))
         .catch(() => []);
 }
 
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ export function getConditionGroupsForCategory(categoryCodeOrId: string): Promise
 export function getConditionFieldsForGroup(groupIdOrCode: string): Promise<any[]> {
     if (!groupIdOrCode) return Promise.resolve([]);
     return ApiClient.get<any, any[]>(`/master-data/condition-groups/${groupIdOrCode}/fields`)
-        .then((res) => (Array.isArray(res) ? res.filter((f) => f.isActive !== false) : []))
+        .then((res) => (Array.isArray(res) ? res.filter((f) => f.isActive !== false).sort((a, b) => (a.displayOrder ?? 0) - (b.displayOrder ?? 0)) : []))
         .catch(() => []);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/app/policyEngine/components/AddPolicyEngine.tsx b/src/app/policyEngine/components/AddPolicyEngine.tsx
index ae5ba7d..ce5126d 100644
--- a/src/app/policyEngine/components/AddPolicyEngine.tsx
+++ b/src/app/policyEngine/components/AddPolicyEngine.tsx
@@ -396,6 +396,17 @@ export default function AddPolicyEngine() {
         const fields = await getActionTypeFields(selectedTypeId);
         setActionTypeFieldsMap((prev) => ({ ...prev, [selectedTypeId]: fields }));
 
+        // Pre-populate default values for the new action
+        const initialFieldValues: Record<string, any> = {};
+        fields.forEach((f) => {
+          const defaultVal = f.defaultValue ?? (f as any).default_value ?? (f as any).defaultValueJson ?? (f as any).default_value_json;
+          if (defaultVal !== undefined && defaultVal !== null) {
+            initialFieldValues[f.fieldCode] = defaultVal;
+          }
+        });
+        
+        handleUpdateAction(ruleId, actionId, { fieldValues: initialFieldValues });
+
         // Pre-fetch lookup options for fields requiring lookupSource
         const sourcesToFetch = new Set<string>();
         fields.forEach((f) => {
@@ -413,6 +424,17 @@ export default function AddPolicyEngine() {
       } finally {
         setLoadingActionFields((prev) => ({ ...prev, [selectedTypeId]: false }));
       }
+    } else {
+      // Fields already loaded in map, just pre-populate default values
+      const fields = actionTypeFieldsMap[selectedTypeId] || [];
+      const initialFieldValues: Record<string, any> = {};
+      fields.forEach((f) => {
+        const defaultVal = f.defaultValue ?? (f as any).default_value ?? (f as any).defaultValueJson ?? (f as any).default_value_json;
+        if (defaultVal !== undefined && defaultVal !== null && defaultVal !== '') {
+          initialFieldValues[f.fieldCode] = defaultVal;
+        }
+      });
+      handleUpdateAction(ruleId, actionId, { fieldValues: initialFieldValues });
     }
   };
 
@@ -1422,7 +1444,7 @@ export default function AddPolicyEngine() {
                                               (field as any).default_value_json;
 
                                             const effectiveVal =
-                                              rawVal !== undefined && rawVal !== null && rawVal !== ''
+                                              rawVal !== undefined && rawVal !== null
                                                 ? rawVal
                                                 : defaultVal;