diff --git a/pkg/keychain/helper_darwin.go b/pkg/keychain/helper_darwin.go
index c82a4aed..b519f9c8 100644
--- a/pkg/keychain/helper_darwin.go
+++ b/pkg/keychain/helper_darwin.go
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ func init() { // nolint[noinit]
 
 	// MacOS always provides a keychain.
 	Helpers[MacOSKeychain] = newMacOSHelper
+
+	// Use MacOSKeychain by default.
+	defaultHelper = WindowsCredentials
 }
 
 func newMacOSHelper(url string) (credentials.Helper, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/keychain/helper_linux.go b/pkg/keychain/helper_linux.go
index d8d1cf1f..23a1a1d0 100644
--- a/pkg/keychain/helper_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/keychain/helper_linux.go
@@ -40,6 +40,14 @@ func init() { // nolint[noinit]
 	if _, err := exec.LookPath("gnome-keyring"); err == nil {
 		Helpers[GnomeKeyring] = newGnomeKeyringHelper
 	}
+
+	// If GnomeKeyring is available, use it by default.
+	// Otherwise, if pass is available, use it by default.
+	if _, ok := Helpers[GnomeKeyring]; ok {
+		defaultHelper = GnomeKeyring
+	} else if _, ok := Helpers[Pass]; ok {
+		defaultHelper = Pass
+	}
 }
 
 func newPassHelper(string) (credentials.Helper, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/keychain/helper_windows.go b/pkg/keychain/helper_windows.go
index 96b3d038..bb17aff7 100644
--- a/pkg/keychain/helper_windows.go
+++ b/pkg/keychain/helper_windows.go
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ func init() { // nolint[noinit]
 
 	// Windows always provides a keychain.
 	Helpers[WindowsCredentials] = newWinCredHelper
+
+	// Use WindowsCredentials by default.
+	defaultHelper = WindowsCredentials
 }
 
 func newWinCredHelper(string) (credentials.Helper, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/keychain/keychain.go b/pkg/keychain/keychain.go
index d07ccc9e..39c91a82 100644
--- a/pkg/keychain/keychain.go
+++ b/pkg/keychain/keychain.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ package keychain
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"reflect"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/ProtonMail/proton-bridge/internal/config/settings"
@@ -40,6 +39,9 @@ var (
 
 	// Helpers holds all discovered keychain helpers. It is populated in init().
 	Helpers map[string]helperConstructor // nolint[noglobals]
+
+	// defaultHelper is the default helper to use if the user hasn't yet set a preference.
+	defaultHelper string // nolint[noglobals]
 )
 
 // NewKeychain creates a new native keychain.
@@ -52,13 +54,20 @@ func NewKeychain(s *settings.Settings, keychainName string) (*Keychain, error) {
 	// hostURL uniquely identifies the app's keychain items within the system keychain.
 	hostURL := fmt.Sprintf("protonmail/%v/users", keychainName)
 
-	// If the preferred keychain is unsupported, set a default one.
+	// If the preferred keychain is unsupported, fallback to the default one.
+	// NOTE: Maybe we want to error out here and show something in the GUI instead?
 	if _, ok := Helpers[s.Get(settings.PreferredKeychainKey)]; !ok {
-		s.Set(settings.PreferredKeychainKey, reflect.ValueOf(Helpers).MapKeys()[0].Interface().(string))
+		s.Set(settings.PreferredKeychainKey, defaultHelper)
 	}
 
 	// Load the user's preferred keychain helper.
-	helper, err := Helpers[s.Get(settings.PreferredKeychainKey)](hostURL)
+	helperConstructor, ok := Helpers[s.Get(settings.PreferredKeychainKey)]
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, ErrNoKeychain
+	}
+
+	// Construct the keychain helper.
+	helper, err := helperConstructor(hostURL)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}