diff --git a/src/packages/frontend/project/settings/compute-image-selector.tsx b/src/packages/frontend/project/settings/compute-image-selector.tsx
index 462ff62c51..a74f6c665b 100644
--- a/src/packages/frontend/project/settings/compute-image-selector.tsx
+++ b/src/packages/frontend/project/settings/compute-image-selector.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {
   Row,
   Space,
   Spin,
+  Switch,
 } from "antd";
 import { SizeType } from "antd/es/config-provider/SizeContext";
 import { fromJS } from "immutable";
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ import { CancelText } from "@cocalc/frontend/i18n/components";
 import { capitalize, unreachable } from "@cocalc/util/misc";
 import { COLORS } from "@cocalc/util/theme";
 import { SOFTWARE_ENVIRONMENT_ICON } from "./software-consts";
+import { ComputeImages } from "../../custom-software/init";
 
 type MenuItem = Required<MenuProps>["items"][number];
 
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ const img_sorter = (a, b): number => {
 
 interface ComputeImageSelectorProps {
   current_image: string;
-  layout: "horizontal" | "compact" | "dialog";
+  layout: "horizontal" | "compact" | "dialog" | "dropdown";
   onSelect: (img: string) => void;
   disabled?: boolean;
   size?: SizeType;
@@ -91,6 +93,7 @@ export function ComputeImageSelector({
   const disabled = propsDisabled ?? false;
   const size = propsSize ?? "small";
   const label = propsLabel ?? capitalize(intl.formatMessage(labels.select));
+  const [dropdownCustom, setDropdownCustom] = useState(false);
 
   // initialize with the given default
   const [nextImg, setNextImg] = useState<string>(current_image);
@@ -107,6 +110,11 @@ export function ComputeImageSelector({
     "software",
   );
 
+  const images: ComputeImages | undefined = useTypedRedux(
+    "compute_images",
+    "images",
+  );
+
   if (software_envs === undefined) {
     return <Loading />;
   }
@@ -160,9 +168,11 @@ export function ComputeImageSelector({
   }
 
   function render_menu_group(group: string): MenuItem {
+    const children = render_menu_children(group);
+    if (children.length === 0) return null;
     return {
       key: group,
-      children: render_menu_children(group),
+      children,
       label: group,
       type: "group",
     };
@@ -174,7 +184,12 @@ export function ComputeImageSelector({
 
   function getMenu() {
     return {
-      onClick: (e) => (layout === "dialog" ? setNextImg : onSelect)(e.key),
+      onClick: (e) => {
+        setNextImg(e.key);
+        if (layout !== "dialog") {
+          onSelect(e.key);
+        }
+      },
       style: { maxHeight: "50vh", overflow: "auto" },
       items: menu_items(),
     };
@@ -190,6 +205,22 @@ export function ComputeImageSelector({
     );
   }
 
+  function render_dropdown_custom() {
+    if (!isCoCalcCom) return null;
+    return (
+      <Space style={{ marginLeft: "20px" }}>
+        <Switch
+          value={dropdownCustom}
+          onChange={setDropdownCustom}
+          title={"Switch to select a custom software environment"}
+          checkedChildren={"Custom"}
+          unCheckedChildren={"Standard"}
+        />
+        <HelpIcon title="Software Environment">help</HelpIcon>
+      </Space>
+    );
+  }
+
   function render_doubt() {
     return (
       <span style={{ color: COLORS.GRAY, fontSize: "11pt" }}>
@@ -364,7 +395,6 @@ export function ComputeImageSelector({
     case "compact":
       return render_selector();
     case "horizontal":
-      // used in projects → create new project
       return (
         <Row gutter={[10, 10]}>
           <Col xs={24}>
@@ -378,6 +408,23 @@ export function ComputeImageSelector({
           </Col>
         </Row>
       );
+    // used in projects → create new project
+    case "dropdown":
+      return (
+        <Row gutter={[10, 10]}>
+          <Col xs={24}>
+            <Icon name={SOFTWARE_ENVIRONMENT_ICON} />
+            <Gap />
+            {render_selector()}
+            <Gap />
+            {render_dropdown_custom()}
+          </Col>
+          <Col xs={24}>
+            <Paragraph>{render_info(nextImg)}</Paragraph>
+            <pre>{JSON.stringify(images?.toJS(), null, 2)}</pre>
+          </Col>
+        </Row>
+      );
     // successor of "vertical", where there is a dialog with a clear indication to click a button
     case "dialog":
       return (
diff --git a/src/packages/frontend/projects/create-project.tsx b/src/packages/frontend/projects/create-project.tsx
index e12a15cc26..7e2d44c343 100644
--- a/src/packages/frontend/projects/create-project.tsx
+++ b/src/packages/frontend/projects/create-project.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Create a new project
 import { Button, Card, Col, Form, Input, Row, Space } from "antd";
 import { delay } from "awaiting";
 import { useIntl } from "react-intl";
+
 import { Alert, Well } from "@cocalc/frontend/antd-bootstrap";
 import {
   CSS,
@@ -29,9 +30,11 @@ import {
   SoftwareEnvironmentState,
 } from "@cocalc/frontend/custom-software/selector";
 import { labels } from "@cocalc/frontend/i18n";
+import { ComputeImageSelector } from "@cocalc/frontend/project/settings/compute-image-selector";
 import { SiteLicenseInput } from "@cocalc/frontend/site-licenses/input";
 import { BuyLicenseForProject } from "@cocalc/frontend/site-licenses/purchase/buy-license-for-project";
 import track from "@cocalc/frontend/user-tracking";
+import { DEFAULT_COMPUTE_IMAGE } from "@cocalc/util/db-schema";
 import {
   KUCALC_COCALC_COM,
   KUCALC_ON_PREMISES,
@@ -61,7 +64,6 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
   );
   const [title_text, set_title_text] = useState<string>(default_value ?? "");
   const [error, set_error] = useState<string>("");
-  const [show_advanced, set_show_advanced] = useState<boolean>(false);
   const [title_prefill, set_title_prefill] = useState<boolean>(false);
   const [license_id, set_license_id] = useState<string>("");
   const [custom_software, set_custom_software] =
@@ -82,6 +84,15 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
     [customize_kucalc],
   );
 
+  const customize_software = useTypedRedux("customize", "software");
+  const [default_software_img, software_images] = useMemo(
+    () => [
+      customize_software.get("default"),
+      customize_software.get("environments"),
+    ],
+    [customize_software],
+  );
+
   const [form] = Form.useForm();
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -112,7 +123,6 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
     set_title_text(default_value ?? "");
     set_error("");
     set_custom_software({});
-    set_show_advanced(false);
     set_show_add_license(requireLicense);
     set_title_prefill(true);
     set_license_id("");
@@ -267,15 +277,33 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
     set_custom_software(obj);
   }
 
-  function render_advanced() {
-    if (!show_advanced) return;
+  function render_customize_software_env() {
     return (
-      <Card size="small" title="Software environment" style={CARD_STYLE}>
-        <SoftwareEnvironment
-          onChange={custom_software_on_change}
-          showTitle={false}
-        />
-      </Card>
+      <>
+        <Form.Item label="Software environment">
+          <ComputeImageSelector
+            current_image={default_software_img ?? DEFAULT_COMPUTE_IMAGE}
+            layout={"dropdown"}
+            onSelect={(img) => {
+              const display = software_images.get(img)?.get("title");
+              custom_software_on_change({
+                image_selected: img,
+                title_text: display,
+                image_type: "standard",
+              });
+            }}
+            changing={false}
+            label={"set"}
+          />
+        </Form.Item>
+
+        <Card size="small" title="Software environment" style={CARD_STYLE}>
+          <SoftwareEnvironment
+            onChange={custom_software_on_change}
+            showTitle={false}
+          />
+        </Card>
+      </>
     );
   }
 
@@ -284,63 +312,44 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
   }
 
   function render_add_license() {
-    if (!show_add_license) return;
-    return (
-      <Card
-        size="small"
-        title={
-          <h4>
-            <div style={{ float: "right" }}>
-              <BuyLicenseForProject />
-            </div>
-            <Icon name="key" /> Select License
-          </h4>
-        }
-        style={CARD_STYLE}
-      >
-        <SiteLicenseInput
-          requireValid
-          confirmLabel={"Add this license"}
-          onChange={addSiteLicense}
-          requireLicense
-          requireMessage={`A license is required to create additional projects.`}
-        />
-      </Card>
-    );
-  }
-
-  function render_advanced_toggle(): JSX.Element | undefined {
-    // we only support custom images on cocalc.com and onprem
     if (!show) return;
-    if (show_advanced) return;
-    return (
-      <div style={TOGGLE_STYLE}>
-        <Button
-          onClick={() => set_show_advanced(true)}
-          type="link"
-          style={TOGGLE_BUTTON_STYLE}
-        >
-          <Icon name="plus" /> Customize the software environment...
-        </Button>
-      </div>
-    );
-  }
-
-  function render_add_license_toggle(): JSX.Element | undefined {
-    if (!show) return;
-    if (show_add_license) return;
-    return (
-      <div style={TOGGLE_STYLE}>
-        <Button
-          disabled={requireLicense}
-          onClick={() => set_show_add_license(true)}
-          type="link"
-          style={TOGGLE_BUTTON_STYLE}
+    if (!show_add_license) {
+      return (
+        <div style={TOGGLE_STYLE}>
+          <Button
+            disabled={requireLicense}
+            onClick={() => set_show_add_license(true)}
+            type="link"
+            style={TOGGLE_BUTTON_STYLE}
+          >
+            <Icon name="plus" /> Add a license key...
+          </Button>
+        </div>
+      );
+    } else {
+      return (
+        <Card
+          size="small"
+          title={
+            <h4>
+              <div style={{ float: "right" }}>
+                <BuyLicenseForProject />
+              </div>
+              <Icon name="key" /> Select License
+            </h4>
+          }
+          style={CARD_STYLE}
         >
-          <Icon name="plus" /> Add a license key...
-        </Button>
-      </div>
-    );
+          <SiteLicenseInput
+            requireValid
+            confirmLabel={"Add this license"}
+            onChange={addSiteLicense}
+            requireLicense
+            requireMessage={`A license is required to create additional projects.`}
+          />
+        </Card>
+      );
+    }
   }
 
   function render_license() {
@@ -381,6 +390,7 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
                     message: helpTxt,
                   },
                 ]}
+                help={"You can change the title at any time."}
               >
                 <Input
                   ref={new_project_title_ref}
@@ -392,9 +402,6 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
                 />
               </Form.Item>
             </Form>
-            <div style={{ color: COLORS.GRAY, float: "right" }}>
-              You can change the title at any time.
-            </div>
           </Col>
           <Col sm={12}>
             <div style={{ color: COLORS.GRAY, marginLeft: "30px" }}>
@@ -412,18 +419,13 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
             </div>
           </Col>
         </Row>
-        {render_add_license_toggle()}
+        {render_customize_software_env()}
         {render_add_license()}
         {render_license()}
-        {render_advanced_toggle()}
-        {render_advanced()}
         <Row>
           <Col sm={24} style={{ marginTop: "10px" }}>
             <Space>
-              <Button
-                disabled={state === "saving"}
-                onClick={cancel_editing}
-              >
+              <Button disabled={state === "saving"} onClick={cancel_editing}>
                 {intl.formatMessage(labels.cancel)}
               </Button>
               <Button
diff --git a/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/input.tsx b/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/input.tsx
index 9bd1865237..5f0f64169a 100644
--- a/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/input.tsx
+++ b/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/input.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  *  License: MS-RSL – see LICENSE.md for details
  */
 
-// Inputing a site license, e.g., for a project, course, etc.
+// Inputting a site license, e.g., for a project, course, etc.
 
 import {
   redux,
diff --git a/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/select-license.tsx b/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/select-license.tsx
index 320ca2c9e8..e1b50aa095 100644
--- a/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/select-license.tsx
+++ b/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/select-license.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
 Select a license or enter a license code.
 
-Component takes as input data that describes a licens.
+Component takes as input data that describes a license.
 
 IMPORTANT: this component must work in *both* from nextjs and static.
 */