diff --git a/queue_job/models/queue_job_channel.py b/queue_job/models/queue_job_channel.py
index c5495ecacd..b91791b196 100644
--- a/queue_job/models/queue_job_channel.py
+++ b/queue_job/models/queue_job_channel.py
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ class QueueJobChannel(models.Model):
         compute="_compute_complete_name", store=True, readonly=True, recursive=True
     )
     parent_id = fields.Many2one(
-        comodel_name="queue.job.channel", string="Parent Channel", ondelete="restrict"
+        comodel_name="queue.job.channel",
+        string="Parent Channel",
+        ondelete="restrict",
+        default=lambda self: self._default_parent_id(),
     )
     job_function_ids = fields.One2many(
         comodel_name="queue.job.function",
@@ -153,6 +156,13 @@ def _root_max_capacity(self):
             self.env.cr.dbname, rules, default=runner._max_capacity()
         )
 
+    def _default_parent_id(self):
+        # empty while the root channel itself is being created at install
+        return (
+            self.env.ref("queue_job.channel_root", raise_if_not_found=False)
+            or self.browse()
+        )
+
     @api.constrains("parent_id", "name")
     def parent_required(self):
         for record in self:
@@ -169,7 +179,7 @@ def create(self, vals_list):
             new_vals_list = []
             for vals in vals_list:
                 name = vals.get("name")
-                parent_id = vals.get("parent_id")
+                parent_id = vals.get("parent_id", self._default_parent_id().id)
                 if name and parent_id:
                     existing = self.search(
                         [("name", "=", name), ("parent_id", "=", parent_id)]
diff --git a/queue_job/readme/USAGE.md b/queue_job/readme/USAGE.md
index deb6fe2aca..3cbdc1df28 100644
--- a/queue_job/readme/USAGE.md
+++ b/queue_job/readme/USAGE.md
@@ -168,7 +168,6 @@ Example of channel:
 ``` XML
 <record id="channel_sale" model="queue.job.channel">
     <field name="name">sale</field>
-    <field name="parent_id" ref="queue_job.channel_root" />
 </record>
 ```
 
diff --git a/queue_job/tests/test_model_job_channel.py b/queue_job/tests/test_model_job_channel.py
index 19eaf320be..4f4c3b58ba 100644
--- a/queue_job/tests/test_model_job_channel.py
+++ b/queue_job/tests/test_model_job_channel.py
@@ -33,6 +33,18 @@ def test_channel_create(self):
         self.assertEqual(channel2.name, "test")
         self.assertEqual(channel2.complete_name, "root.test.test")
 
+    def test_channel_create_default_parent(self):
+        channel = self.Channel.create({"name": "test"})
+        self.assertEqual(channel.parent_id, self.root_channel)
+        self.assertEqual(channel.complete_name, "root.test")
+
+    def test_channel_write_empty_parent(self):
+        channel = self.Channel.create({"name": "test"})
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(
+            exceptions.ValidationError, "Parent channel required."
+        ):
+            channel.parent_id = False
+
     @odoo.tools.mute_logger("odoo.sql_db")
     def test_channel_complete_name_uniq(self):
         channel = self.Channel.create(
diff --git a/queue_job_batch/data/queue_job_channel_data.xml b/queue_job_batch/data/queue_job_channel_data.xml
index 04dd328c59..12ac98ff61 100644
--- a/queue_job_batch/data/queue_job_channel_data.xml
+++ b/queue_job_batch/data/queue_job_channel_data.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 <odoo noupdate="1">
     <record model="queue.job.channel" id="channel_queue_job_batch">
         <field name="name">queue.job.batch</field>
-        <field name="parent_id" ref="queue_job.channel_root" />
     </record>
 </odoo>
diff --git a/queue_job_cron/data/data.xml b/queue_job_cron/data/data.xml
index 0a56d9df32..94195e9ea8 100644
--- a/queue_job_cron/data/data.xml
+++ b/queue_job_cron/data/data.xml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 <odoo>
     <record model="queue.job.channel" id="channel_root_ir_cron">
         <field name="name">ir_cron</field>
-        <field name="parent_id" ref="queue_job.channel_root" />
     </record>
     <record model="queue.job.function" id="job_function_ir_cron_run_job_as_queue_job">
         <field name="model_id" ref="base.model_ir_cron" />
diff --git a/test_queue_job/tests/test_job_channels.py b/test_queue_job/tests/test_job_channels.py
index aff250d252..d83191e836 100644
--- a/test_queue_job/tests/test_job_channels.py
+++ b/test_queue_job/tests/test_job_channels.py
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ def test_channel_complete_name(self):
 
     def test_channel_tree(self):
         with self.assertRaises(exceptions.ValidationError):
-            self.channel_model.create({"name": "sub"})
+            self.channel_model.create({"name": "sub", "parent_id": False})
+        channel = self.channel_model.create({"name": "sub"})
+        self.assertEqual(channel.parent_id, self.root_channel)
 
     def test_channel_root(self):
         with self.assertRaises(exceptions.UserError):