diff --git a/e2e/studio/features/filter-bar.spec.ts b/e2e/studio/features/filter-bar.spec.ts
index 6902d69eb2..66bdc76f29 100644
--- a/e2e/studio/features/filter-bar.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/studio/features/filter-bar.spec.ts
@@ -371,6 +371,38 @@ test.describe('Filter Bar', () => {
       }
     })
 
+    test('Enter on equals fallback applies filter and returns focus to freeform', async ({
+      page,
+      ref,
+    }) => {
+      const tableName = `${tableNamePrefix}_op_default_equals`
+      const columnName = 'name'
+
+      await createTable(tableName, columnName, [{ name: 'forgecode' }, { name: 'other' }])
+
+      try {
+        await setupFilterBarPage(page, ref, toUrl(`/project/${ref}/editor?schema=public`))
+        await navigateToTable(page, ref, tableName)
+
+        await selectColumnFilter(page, columnName)
+
+        const operatorInput = page.getByTestId(`filter-operator-${columnName}`)
+        await operatorInput.fill('forgecode')
+
+        await expect(page.getByText('Equals: "forgecode"')).toBeVisible()
+
+        const rowsWaiter = createApiResponseWaiter(page, 'pg-meta', ref, 'query?key=table-rows-')
+        await page.keyboard.press('Enter')
+        await rowsWaiter
+
+        await expect(getFilterBarInput(page)).toBeFocused()
+        await expect(page.getByRole('gridcell', { name: 'forgecode' })).toBeVisible()
+        await expect(page.getByRole('gridcell', { name: 'other' })).not.toBeVisible()
+      } finally {
+        await dropTable(tableName)
+      }
+    })
+
     test('Backspace on empty operator removes condition', async ({ page, ref }) => {
       const tableName = `${tableNamePrefix}_op_bksp`
       const columnName = 'name'
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx
index a84b0afb61..eb6dcf8fea 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event'
+import React, { useState } from 'react'
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 import { FilterBar } from './FilterBar'
@@ -176,6 +177,53 @@ describe('FilterBar', () => {
     expect((updatedValueInput as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe('active')
   })
 
+  it('shows an equals fallback and applies it on enter for non-operator input', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup()
+    const onFilterChange = vi.fn()
+
+    function Wrapper() {
+      const [filters, setFilters] = useState(initialFilters)
+
+      return (
+        <FilterBar
+          filterProperties={mockFilterProperties}
+          filters={filters}
+          onFilterChange={(next) => {
+            onFilterChange(next)
+            setFilters(next)
+          }}
+          freeformText=""
+          onFreeformTextChange={mockOnFreeformTextChange}
+        />
+      )
+    }
+
+    render(<Wrapper />)
+
+    await user.click(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Filter by Name, Status, Count'))
+    await user.click(screen.getByText('Name'))
+
+    const operatorInput = await screen.findByLabelText('Operator for Name')
+    await user.click(operatorInput)
+    await user.type(operatorInput, 'abc')
+
+    expect(onFilterChange).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Equals: "abc"')).toBeInTheDocument()
+
+    await user.keyboard('{Enter}')
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(onFilterChange).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith({
+        logicalOperator: 'AND',
+        conditions: [{ propertyName: 'name', operator: '=', value: 'abc' }],
+      })
+    })
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Add more filters...')).toHaveFocus()
+    })
+  })
+
   it('renders and applies custom value component inside popover', async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup()
     const customProps: FilterProperty[] = [
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterCondition.tsx b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterCondition.tsx
index 32b279e143..697d72f5a8 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterCondition.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterCondition.tsx
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ export function FilterCondition({
     isLoading,
     propertyOptionsCache,
     loadingOptions,
-    handleOperatorChange,
     handleInputChange,
     handleOperatorFocus,
     handleInputFocus,
@@ -62,9 +61,11 @@ export function FilterCondition({
   const [showValueCustom, setShowValueCustom] = useState(false)
   const [hasTypedOperator, setHasTypedOperator] = useState(false)
   const [hasTypedValue, setHasTypedValue] = useState(false)
+  const [localOperator, setLocalOperator] = useState(condition.operator)
   const [localValue, setLocalValue] = useState((condition.value ?? '').toString())
   const [propertySearchText, setPropertySearchText] = useState('')
 
+  const conditionOperator = condition.operator ?? ''
   const conditionValue = (condition.value ?? '').toString()
 
   // Reset "has typed" state when focus changes
@@ -72,6 +73,12 @@ export function FilterCondition({
     if (!isOperatorActive) setHasTypedOperator(false)
   }, [isOperatorActive])
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isOperatorActive && localOperator !== conditionOperator) {
+      setLocalOperator(conditionOperator)
+    }
+  }, [conditionOperator, isOperatorActive, localOperator])
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!isActive) setHasTypedValue(false)
   }, [isActive])
@@ -84,17 +91,17 @@ export function FilterCondition({
   }, [conditionValue])
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (isActive && valueRef.current) {
-      valueRef.current.focus()
-    } else if (isOperatorActive && operatorRef.current) {
+    if (isOperatorActive && operatorRef.current) {
       operatorRef.current.focus()
+    } else if (isActive && valueRef.current) {
+      valueRef.current.focus()
     }
   }, [isActive, isOperatorActive])
 
-  const handleOperatorBlur = useDeferredBlur(
-    wrapperRef as React.RefObject<HTMLElement>,
-    handleInputBlur
-  )
+  const handleOperatorBlur = useDeferredBlur(wrapperRef as React.RefObject<HTMLElement>, () => {
+    setLocalOperator(conditionOperator)
+    handleInputBlur()
+  })
   const handleValueBlur = useDeferredBlur(
     wrapperRef as React.RefObject<HTMLElement>,
     handleInputBlur
@@ -143,9 +150,10 @@ export function FilterCondition({
         { type: 'operator', path },
         rootFilters,
         filterProperties,
-        hasTypedOperator
+        hasTypedOperator,
+        localOperator
       ),
-    [path, rootFilters, filterProperties, hasTypedOperator]
+    [path, rootFilters, filterProperties, hasTypedOperator, localOperator]
   )
 
   const valueItems = useMemo(
@@ -186,13 +194,13 @@ export function FilterCondition({
 
   const handleOperatorBackspace = useCallback(
     (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
-      if (e.key === 'Backspace' && condition.operator === '') {
+      if (e.key === 'Backspace' && localOperator === '') {
         e.preventDefault()
         handleRemoveCondition(path)
         setActiveInput({ type: 'group', path: path.slice(0, -1) })
       }
     },
-    [condition.operator, setActiveInput, path, handleRemoveCondition]
+    [localOperator, setActiveInput, path, handleRemoveCondition]
   )
 
   const {
@@ -233,13 +241,10 @@ export function FilterCondition({
     if (!isActive) resetValHighlight()
   }, [isActive, resetValHighlight])
 
-  const onOperatorChange = useCallback(
-    (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
-      setHasTypedOperator(true)
-      handleOperatorChange(path, e.target.value)
-    },
-    [handleOperatorChange, path]
-  )
+  const onOperatorChange = useCallback((e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
+    setHasTypedOperator(true)
+    setLocalOperator(e.target.value)
+  }, [])
 
   const onValueChange = useCallback(
     (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
@@ -327,9 +332,12 @@ export function FilterCondition({
             <Input_Shadcn_
               ref={operatorRef}
               type="text"
-              value={condition.operator}
+              value={isOperatorActive ? localOperator : conditionOperator}
               onChange={onOperatorChange}
-              onFocus={() => handleOperatorFocus(path)}
+              onFocus={() => {
+                setLocalOperator(conditionOperator)
+                handleOperatorFocus(path)
+              }}
               onBlur={handleOperatorBlur}
               onKeyDown={handleOperatorKeyDown}
               className="h-full border-none bg-transparent py-0 px-1 text-center text-xs focus:outline-none focus:ring-0 focus:shadow-none focus-visible:ring-0 focus-visible:ring-offset-0 text-foreground w-full absolute left-0 top-0"
@@ -343,7 +351,7 @@ export function FilterCondition({
               data-form-type="other"
             />
             <span className="invisible whitespace-pre text-xs block px-1 shrink-0 px-1">
-              {condition.operator || ' '}
+              {(isOperatorActive ? localOperator : conditionOperator) || ' '}
             </span>
           </div>
         </PopoverAnchor_Shadcn_>
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.test.ts b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.test.ts
index 14dfa07478..73e73972b6 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.test.ts
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
-import { buildValueItems } from './menuItems'
+import { buildOperatorItems, buildValueItems } from './menuItems'
 import { FilterGroup, FilterProperty } from './types'
 
 const stringProperty: FilterProperty = {
@@ -33,6 +33,50 @@ const booleanProperty: FilterProperty = {
 
 const filterProperties: FilterProperty[] = [stringProperty, booleanProperty]
 
+describe('buildOperatorItems', () => {
+  it('returns matching operators for operator draft text', () => {
+    const filters: FilterGroup = {
+      logicalOperator: 'AND',
+      conditions: [{ propertyName: 'name', operator: '', value: '' }],
+    }
+
+    const items = buildOperatorItems(
+      { type: 'operator', path: [0] },
+      filters,
+      filterProperties,
+      true,
+      'is'
+    )
+
+    expect(items).toEqual([{ value: 'is', label: 'Is', group: 'setNull', operatorSymbol: 'is' }])
+  })
+
+  it('adds an equals fallback when operator draft does not match', () => {
+    const filters: FilterGroup = {
+      logicalOperator: 'AND',
+      conditions: [{ propertyName: 'name', operator: '', value: '' }],
+    }
+
+    const items = buildOperatorItems(
+      { type: 'operator', path: [0] },
+      filters,
+      filterProperties,
+      true,
+      'abc'
+    )
+
+    expect(items).toEqual([
+      {
+        value: '=',
+        label: 'Equals: "abc"',
+        operatorSymbol: '=',
+        isDefaultOperator: true,
+        defaultValue: 'abc',
+      },
+    ])
+  })
+})
+
 describe('buildValueItems', () => {
   it('returns NULL and NOT NULL options when IS operator is selected', () => {
     const filters: FilterGroup = {
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.ts b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.ts
index 80f69fccc6..bff559cfa5 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.ts
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.ts
@@ -10,18 +10,19 @@ export function buildOperatorItems(
   activeInput: Extract<ActiveInputState, { type: 'operator' }> | null,
   activeFilters: FilterGroup,
   filterProperties: FilterProperty[],
-  hasTypedSinceFocus: boolean = true
+  hasTypedSinceFocus: boolean = true,
+  inputValue?: string
 ): MenuItem[] {
   if (!activeInput) return []
   const condition = findConditionByPath(activeFilters, activeInput.path)
   const property = filterProperties.find((p) => p.name === condition?.propertyName)
-  const operatorValue = condition?.operator?.toUpperCase() || ''
+  const operatorValue = (inputValue ?? condition?.operator ?? '').toUpperCase()
   const availableOperators = property?.operators || ['=']
 
   // Only filter if user has typed since focusing
   const shouldFilter = hasTypedSinceFocus && operatorValue.length > 0
 
-  return availableOperators
+  const items: MenuItem[] = availableOperators
     .filter((op) => {
       if (!shouldFilter) return true
       if (isFilterOperatorObject(op)) {
@@ -43,6 +44,25 @@ export function buildOperatorItems(
       }
       return { value: op, label: op, operatorSymbol: op }
     })
+
+  if (shouldFilter && items.length === 0) {
+    const equalsOperator = availableOperators.find((op) =>
+      isFilterOperatorObject(op) ? op.value === '=' : op === '='
+    )
+
+    if (equalsOperator) {
+      const equalsLabel = isFilterOperatorObject(equalsOperator) ? equalsOperator.label : 'Equals'
+      items.push({
+        value: '=',
+        label: `${equalsLabel}: "${inputValue ?? condition?.operator ?? ''}"`,
+        operatorSymbol: '=',
+        isDefaultOperator: true,
+        defaultValue: inputValue ?? condition?.operator ?? '',
+      })
+    }
+  }
+
+  return items
 }
 
 export function buildPropertyItems(params: {
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/types.ts b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/types.ts
index e1ba3837c8..5f94dbce3b 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/types.ts
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/types.ts
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ export type MenuItem = {
   actionInputValue?: string
   group?: FilterOperatorGroup
   operatorSymbol?: string
+  isDefaultOperator?: boolean
+  defaultValue?: string
 }
 
 export type GroupedMenuItem = {
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandHandling.ts b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandHandling.ts
index d7baf32ce0..5b3d4ccaa1 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandHandling.ts
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandHandling.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 import { useCallback } from 'react'
 
 import { ActiveInputState, FilterGroup, FilterProperty, MenuItem } from './types'
-import { addFilterToGroup, addGroupToGroup, findGroupByPath, isCustomOptionObject } from './utils'
+import {
+  addFilterToGroup,
+  addGroupToGroup,
+  findGroupByPath,
+  updateNestedOperator,
+  updateNestedValue,
+} from './utils'
 
 export function useCommandHandling({
   activeInput,
@@ -95,15 +101,7 @@ export function useCommandHandling({
       const group = findGroupByPath(activeFilters, currentPath)
       if (!group) return
 
-      if (
-        selectedProperty.options &&
-        !Array.isArray(selectedProperty.options) &&
-        isCustomOptionObject(selectedProperty.options)
-      ) {
-        handlePropertySelection(selectedProperty, currentPath, group)
-      } else {
-        handlePropertySelection(selectedProperty, currentPath, group)
-      }
+      handlePropertySelection(selectedProperty, currentPath, group)
       onFreeformTextChange('')
     },
     [activeInput, filterProperties, activeFilters, onFreeformTextChange, handlePropertySelection]
@@ -136,7 +134,18 @@ export function useCommandHandling({
       if (activeInput?.type === 'value') {
         handleValueCommand(item)
       } else if (activeInput?.type === 'operator') {
-        handleOperatorCommand(selectedValue)
+        if (item.isDefaultOperator) {
+          const path = activeInput.path
+          const filtersWithOperator = updateNestedOperator(activeFilters, path, item.value)
+          onFilterChange(updateNestedValue(filtersWithOperator, path, item.defaultValue ?? ''))
+
+          // Added minor delay to ensure the filter is updated before navigating to the group
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            setActiveInput({ type: 'group', path: path.slice(0, -1) })
+          }, 0)
+        } else {
+          handleOperatorCommand(selectedValue)
+        }
       } else if (activeInput?.type === 'group') {
         handleGroupPropertyCommand(selectedValue)
       }
@@ -150,6 +159,7 @@ export function useCommandHandling({
       handleValueCommand,
       handleOperatorCommand,
       handleGroupPropertyCommand,
+      onFilterChange,
       setIsCommandMenuVisible,
     ]
   )