diff --git a/api/onnx_web/chain/tile.py b/api/onnx_web/chain/tile.py
index 8f228392..ed2d09a4 100644
--- a/api/onnx_web/chain/tile.py
+++ b/api/onnx_web/chain/tile.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def needs_tile(
     source: Optional[Image.Image] = None,
 ) -> bool:
     tile = min(max_tile, stage_tile)
-    logger.debug("")
+    logger.trace("checking image tile dimensions: %s, %s, %s", tile, source.width > tile or source.height > tile, size.width > tile or size.height > tile)
 
     if source is not None:
         return source.width > tile or source.height > tile
diff --git a/api/onnx_web/server/api.py b/api/onnx_web/server/api.py
index e5142756..62cefbf7 100644
--- a/api/onnx_web/server/api.py
+++ b/api/onnx_web/server/api.py
@@ -387,7 +387,9 @@ def chain(server: ServerContext, pool: DevicePoolExecutor):
     validate(data, schema)
 
     # get defaults from the regular parameters
-    device, base_params, base_size = pipeline_from_request(server, data=data)
+    device, base_params, base_size = pipeline_from_request(server, data=data.get("defaults", None))
+
+    # start building the pipeline
     pipeline = ChainPipeline()
     for stage_data in data.get("stages", []):
         stage_class = CHAIN_STAGES[stage_data.get("type")]
diff --git a/api/schemas/chain.yaml b/api/schemas/chain.yaml
index 211e65ac..e24593f6 100644
--- a/api/schemas/chain.yaml
+++ b/api/schemas/chain.yaml
@@ -56,10 +56,20 @@ $defs:
     items:
       $ref: "#/$defs/request_stage"
 
+  request_defaults:
+    type: object
+    properties:
+      txt2img:
+        $ref: "#/$defs/image_params"
+      img2img:
+        $ref: "#/$defs/image_params"
+
 type: object
 additionalProperties: False
 required: [stages]
 properties:
+  defaults:
+    $ref: "#/$defs/request_defaults"
   platform:
     type: string
   stages:
diff --git a/gui/src/client/types.ts b/gui/src/client/types.ts
index 9be13103..dfc240bb 100644
--- a/gui/src/client/types.ts
+++ b/gui/src/client/types.ts
@@ -162,39 +162,43 @@ export interface HighresParams {
   highresStrength: number;
 }
 
+export interface ChainStageParams {
+  tile_size: number;
+}
+
 export interface Txt2ImgStage {
   name: string;
   type: 'source-txt2img';
-  params: Txt2ImgParams & {
-    tile_size: number;
-  };
+  params: Partial<Txt2ImgParams & ChainStageParams>;
 }
 
 export interface Img2ImgStage {
   name: string;
   type: 'blend-img2img';
-  params: Img2ImgParams;
+  params: Partial<Img2ImgParams & ChainStageParams>;
 }
 
 export interface GridStage {
   name: string;
   type: 'blend-grid';
-  params: {
+  params: Partial<{
     height: number;
     width: number;
-    tile_size: number;
-  };
+  } & ChainStageParams>;
 }
 
 export interface OutputStage {
   name: string;
   type: 'persist-disk';
-  params: {
-    tile_size: number;
-  };
+  params: Partial<ChainStageParams>;
 }
 
 export interface ChainPipeline {
+  defaults?: {
+    txt2img?: Txt2ImgParams;
+    img2img?: Img2ImgParams;
+  };
+
   stages: Array<Txt2ImgStage | Img2ImgStage | GridStage | OutputStage>;
 }
 
diff --git a/gui/src/client/utils.ts b/gui/src/client/utils.ts
index e771fc8b..88d79ff1 100644
--- a/gui/src/client/utils.ts
+++ b/gui/src/client/utils.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ export function replacePromptTokens(grid: PipelineGrid, params: Txt2ImgParams, c
 // eslint-disable-next-line max-params
 export function buildPipelineForTxt2ImgGrid(grid: PipelineGrid, model: ModelParams, params: Txt2ImgParams, upscale?: UpscaleParams, highres?: HighresParams): ChainPipeline {
   const pipeline: ChainPipeline = {
+    defaults: {
+      txt2img: params,
+    },
     stages: [],
   };