diff --git a/src/schemas/nodeDef/migration.test.ts b/src/schemas/nodeDef/migration.test.ts
index 7250918f118..18a140825c1 100644
--- a/src/schemas/nodeDef/migration.test.ts
+++ b/src/schemas/nodeDef/migration.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 import { transformNodeDefV1ToV2 } from '@/schemas/nodeDef/migration'
 import type { ComfyNodeDef as ComfyNodeDefV1 } from '@/schemas/nodeDefSchema'
@@ -537,4 +537,151 @@ describe('ComfyNodeDefImpl', () => {
       expect(result.api_node).toBe(expected)
     }
   )
+
+  describe('defaultInput migration', () => {
+    it('should not set forceInput on optional input with defaultInput', () => {
+      const nodeDef = new ComfyNodeDefImpl({
+        name: 'TestNode',
+        display_name: 'Test Node',
+        category: 'Test',
+        python_module: 'test_module',
+        description: 'A test node',
+        input: {
+          optional: {
+            seed_override: ['INT', { defaultInput: true, default: 0 }]
+          }
+        },
+        output: [],
+        output_is_list: [],
+        output_name: [],
+        output_node: false
+      } as ComfyNodeDefV1)
+
+      expect(nodeDef.inputs['seed_override']).toBeDefined()
+      expect(nodeDef.inputs['seed_override'].forceInput).toBeUndefined()
+    })
+
+    it('should preserve widget type on optional input with defaultInput', () => {
+      const nodeDef = new ComfyNodeDefImpl({
+        name: 'TestNode',
+        display_name: 'Test Node',
+        category: 'Test',
+        python_module: 'test_module',
+        description: 'A test node',
+        input: {
+          optional: {
+            my_param: [
+              'FLOAT',
+              { defaultInput: true, default: 0.5, min: 0, max: 1 }
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        output: [],
+        output_is_list: [],
+        output_name: [],
+        output_node: false
+      } as ComfyNodeDefV1)
+
+      const inputSpec = nodeDef.inputs['my_param']
+      expect(inputSpec.type).toBe('FLOAT')
+      expect(inputSpec.isOptional).toBe(true)
+      expect(inputSpec.default).toBe(0.5)
+      expect(inputSpec.forceInput).toBeUndefined()
+    })
+
+    it('should not affect required inputs with defaultInput', () => {
+      const nodeDef = new ComfyNodeDefImpl({
+        name: 'TestNode',
+        display_name: 'Test Node',
+        category: 'Test',
+        python_module: 'test_module',
+        description: 'A test node',
+        input: {
+          required: {
+            value: ['INT', { defaultInput: true, default: 42 }]
+          }
+        },
+        output: [],
+        output_is_list: [],
+        output_name: [],
+        output_node: false
+      } as ComfyNodeDefV1)
+
+      expect(nodeDef.inputs['value']).toBeDefined()
+      expect(nodeDef.inputs['value'].forceInput).toBeUndefined()
+    })
+
+    it('should preserve explicit forceInput when set alongside defaultInput', () => {
+      const nodeDef = new ComfyNodeDefImpl({
+        name: 'TestNode',
+        display_name: 'Test Node',
+        category: 'Test',
+        python_module: 'test_module',
+        description: 'A test node',
+        input: {
+          optional: {
+            forced: ['INT', { forceInput: true, defaultInput: true }]
+          }
+        },
+        output: [],
+        output_is_list: [],
+        output_name: [],
+        output_node: false
+      } as ComfyNodeDefV1)
+
+      expect(nodeDef.inputs['forced'].forceInput).toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    it('should emit deprecation warning for optional input with defaultInput', () => {
+      const warnSpy = vi.spyOn(console, 'warn').mockImplementation(() => {})
+
+      new ComfyNodeDefImpl({
+        name: 'TestNode',
+        display_name: 'Test Node',
+        category: 'Test',
+        python_module: 'test_module',
+        description: 'A test node',
+        input: {
+          optional: {
+            seed: ['INT', { defaultInput: true }]
+          }
+        },
+        output: [],
+        output_is_list: [],
+        output_name: [],
+        output_node: false
+      } as ComfyNodeDefV1)
+
+      expect(warnSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'Use of defaultInput on optional input test_module:TestNode:seed is deprecated and ignored. Remove defaultInput. Use forceInput only if you intentionally want a socket-only input.'
+      )
+
+      warnSpy.mockRestore()
+    })
+
+    it('should not mutate the original node definition', () => {
+      const originalDef = {
+        name: 'TestNode',
+        display_name: 'Test Node',
+        category: 'Test',
+        python_module: 'test_module',
+        description: 'A test node',
+        input: {
+          optional: {
+            param: ['INT', { defaultInput: true }]
+          }
+        },
+        output: [],
+        output_is_list: [],
+        output_name: [],
+        output_node: false
+      } as ComfyNodeDefV1
+
+      new ComfyNodeDefImpl(originalDef)
+
+      expect(
+        originalDef.input!.optional!['param'][1]!.forceInput
+      ).toBeUndefined()
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/stores/nodeDefStore.ts b/src/stores/nodeDefStore.ts
index 2c0703948a2..2577c789249 100644
--- a/src/stores/nodeDefStore.ts
+++ b/src/stores/nodeDefStore.ts
@@ -103,7 +103,14 @@ export class ComfyNodeDefImpl
 
   /**
    * @internal
-   * Migrate default input options to forceInput.
+   * Migrate default input options. Since frontend version 1.16+, widget and
+   * input socket co-exist on every input, so `defaultInput` no longer needs
+   * special handling. We only emit deprecation warnings.
+   *
+   * Previously `defaultInput` on optional inputs was migrated to `forceInput`,
+   * which prevented the widget from being created at all and made it impossible
+   * for users to toggle back to widget mode after reload.
+   * See: https://github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI_frontend/issues/1500
    */
   private static _migrateDefaultInput(nodeDef: ComfyNodeDefV1): ComfyNodeDefV1 {
     const def = _.cloneDeep(nodeDef)
@@ -118,16 +125,16 @@ export class ComfyNodeDefImpl
         )
       }
     }
-    // For optional inputs, defaultInput is used to distinguish the null state.
-    // We migrate it to forceInput. One example is the "seed_override" input usage.
-    // User can connect the socket to override the seed.
+    // For optional inputs, defaultInput previously converted the widget into
+    // a socket-only input. Since 1.16+ widgets and sockets co-exist, we no
+    // longer need to set forceInput. The widget will be created alongside the
+    // socket, and users can choose how to provide the value.
     for (const [name, spec] of Object.entries(def.input.optional ?? {})) {
       const inputOptions = spec[1]
       if (inputOptions && inputOptions.defaultInput) {
         console.warn(
-          `Use of defaultInput on optional input ${nodeDef.python_module}:${nodeDef.name}:${name} is deprecated. Please use forceInput instead.`
+          `Use of defaultInput on optional input ${nodeDef.python_module}:${nodeDef.name}:${name} is deprecated and ignored. Remove defaultInput. Use forceInput only if you intentionally want a socket-only input.`
         )
-        inputOptions.forceInput = true
       }
     }
     return def