diff --git a/app/src/components/v-item-group/v-item.vue b/app/src/components/v-item-group/v-item.vue
index f066e85893..0aa3adea87 100644
--- a/app/src/components/v-item-group/v-item.vue
+++ b/app/src/components/v-item-group/v-item.vue
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 <template>
 	<div class="v-item">
-		<slot v-bind="{ active, toggle }" />
+		<slot v-bind="{ 'active': isActive, toggle }" />
 	</div>
 </template>
 
 <script lang="ts">
-import { defineComponent } from '@vue/composition-api';
+import { defineComponent, toRefs } from '@vue/composition-api';
 import { useGroupable } from '@/composables/groupable';
 
 export default defineComponent({
@@ -18,14 +18,25 @@ export default defineComponent({
 			type: String,
 			default: 'item-group',
 		},
+		active: {
+			type: Boolean,
+			default: undefined
+		},
+		watch: {
+			type: Boolean,
+			default: true
+		}
 	},
 	setup(props) {
-		const { active, toggle } = useGroupable({
+		const {active} = toRefs(props)
+		const { active: isActive, toggle } = useGroupable({
 			value: props.value,
 			group: props.scope,
+			watch: props.watch,
+			active
 		});
 
-		return { active, toggle };
+		return { isActive, toggle };
 	},
 });
 </script>
diff --git a/app/src/composables/groupable/groupable.ts b/app/src/composables/groupable/groupable.ts
index a22042e011..595b18a996 100644
--- a/app/src/composables/groupable/groupable.ts
+++ b/app/src/composables/groupable/groupable.ts
@@ -149,10 +149,15 @@ export function useGroupableParent(
 	// Register a child within the context of this group
 	function register(item: GroupableInstance) {
 		items.value = [...items.value, item];
+		const value = getValueForItem(item)
 
 		// If you're required to select a value, make sure a value is selected on first render
 		if (selection.value.length === 0 && options?.mandatory?.value === true && items.value.length === 1) {
-			selection.value = [getValueForItem(item)];
+			selection.value = [value];
+		}
+
+		if(item.active.value && selection.value.includes(value) === false) {
+			toggle(item)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/app/src/interfaces/repeater/repeater-row.vue b/app/src/interfaces/repeater/repeater-row.vue
index 936abf26f6..60629f249c 100644
--- a/app/src/interfaces/repeater/repeater-row.vue
+++ b/app/src/interfaces/repeater/repeater-row.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <template>
-	<v-item class="row" v-slot:default="{ active, toggle }">
+	<v-item class="row" v-slot:default="{ active, toggle }" :active="true" :watch="false">
 		<repeater-row-header
 			:template="template"
 			:value="value"
diff --git a/app/src/interfaces/repeater/repeater.vue b/app/src/interfaces/repeater/repeater.vue
index d34de04600..0a0b650693 100644
--- a/app/src/interfaces/repeater/repeater.vue
+++ b/app/src/interfaces/repeater/repeater.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <template>
-	<v-item-group class="repeater" v-model="selection">
+	<v-item-group class="repeater">
 		<draggable :value="value" handle=".drag-handle" @input="onSort" :set-data="hideDragImage">
 			<repeater-row
 				v-for="(row, index) in value"
@@ -106,9 +106,6 @@ export default defineComponent({
 				newDefaults[field.field!] = field.schema?.default_value;
 			});
 
-			// select the new row
-			selection.value = [props.value?.length || 0];
-
 			if (props.value !== null) {
 				emitValue([...props.value, newDefaults]);
 			} else {