diff --git a/app/blueprints/api/v1/weapon_blueprint.rb b/app/blueprints/api/v1/weapon_blueprint.rb
index 2b42710..65bf06c 100644
--- a/app/blueprints/api/v1/weapon_blueprint.rb
+++ b/app/blueprints/api/v1/weapon_blueprint.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ module Api
         }
       end
 
-      field :awakenings, if: ->(_field_name, w, _options) { w.awakenings } do |w|
+      field :awakenings, if: lambda { |_fn, obj, _opt| obj.awakenings.length.positive? } do |w|
         w.awakenings.map do |a|
           AwakeningBlueprint.render_as_hash(a)
         end
diff --git a/app/models/grid_character.rb b/app/models/grid_character.rb
index 468bea9..09d6e8d 100644
--- a/app/models/grid_character.rb
+++ b/app/models/grid_character.rb
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ class GridCharacter < ApplicationRecord
     set perpetuity: false
   end
 
+  # Add awakening before the model saves
+  before_save :add_awakening
+
   def validate_awakening_level
     errors.add(:awakening, 'awakening level too low') if awakening_level < 1
     errors.add(:awakening, 'awakening level too high') if awakening_level > 9
@@ -83,6 +86,12 @@ class GridCharacter < ApplicationRecord
 
   private
 
+  def add_awakening
+    if self.awakening.nil?
+      self.awakening = Awakening.where(slug: "character-balanced").sole
+    end
+  end
+
   def check_value(property, type)
     # Input format
     # { ring1: { atk: 300 } }