diff --git a/src/wp-includes/abilities-api/class-wp-ability.php b/src/wp-includes/abilities-api/class-wp-ability.php
index 0c7310f0343bb..71b2ea25f1885 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/abilities-api/class-wp-ability.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/abilities-api/class-wp-ability.php
@@ -400,6 +400,31 @@ public function get_meta_item( string $key, $default_value = null ) {
 		return array_key_exists( $key, $this->meta ) ? $this->meta[ $key ] : $default_value;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Normalizes the input for the ability, applying the default value from the input schema when needed.
+	 *
+	 * When no input is provided and the input schema is defined with a top-level `default` key, this method returns
+	 * the value of that key. If the input schema does not define a `default`, or if the input schema is empty,
+	 * this method returns null. If input is provided, it is returned as-is.
+	 *
+	 * @since 6.9.0
+	 *
+	 * @param mixed $input Optional. The raw input provided for the ability. Default `null`.
+	 * @return mixed The same input, or the default from schema, or `null` if default not set.
+	 */
+	public function normalize_input( $input = null ) {
+		if ( null !== $input ) {
+			return $input;
+		}
+
+		$input_schema = $this->get_input_schema();
+		if ( ! empty( $input_schema ) && array_key_exists( 'default', $input_schema ) ) {
+			return $input_schema['default'];
+		}
+
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Validates input data against the input schema.
 	 *
@@ -536,6 +561,7 @@ protected function validate_output( $output ) {
 	 * @return mixed|WP_Error The result of the ability execution, or WP_Error on failure.
 	 */
 	public function execute( $input = null ) {
+		$input    = $this->normalize_input( $input );
 		$is_valid = $this->validate_input( $input );
 		if ( is_wp_error( $is_valid ) ) {
 			return $is_valid;
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-abilities-v1-run-controller.php b/src/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-abilities-v1-run-controller.php
index c8243526be723..a58888bebd9ea 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-abilities-v1-run-controller.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-abilities-v1-run-controller.php
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ public function check_ability_permissions( $request ) {
 		}
 
 		$input    = $this->get_input_from_request( $request );
+		$input    = $ability->normalize_input( $input );
 		$is_valid = $ability->validate_input( $input );
 		if ( is_wp_error( $is_valid ) ) {
 			$is_valid->add_data( array( 'status' => 400 ) );
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/wpRestAbilitiesV1RunController.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/wpRestAbilitiesV1RunController.php
index f610bf6a026e3..40372fe57b4be 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/wpRestAbilitiesV1RunController.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/wpRestAbilitiesV1RunController.php
@@ -921,12 +921,11 @@ public function test_ability_without_annotations_defaults_to_post_method(): void
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Test edge case with empty input for both GET and POST methods.
+	 * Test edge case with empty input for GET method.
 	 *
 	 * @ticket 64098
 	 */
-	public function test_empty_input_handling(): void {
-		// Registers abilities for empty input testing.
+	public function test_empty_input_handling_get_method(): void {
 		wp_register_ability(
 			'test/read-only-empty',
 			array(
@@ -946,6 +945,55 @@ public function test_empty_input_handling(): void {
 			)
 		);
 
+		// Tests GET with no input parameter.
+		$get_request  = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wp-abilities/v1/abilities/test/read-only-empty/run' );
+		$get_response = $this->server->dispatch( $get_request );
+		$this->assertEquals( 200, $get_response->get_status() );
+		$this->assertTrue( $get_response->get_data()['input_was_empty'] );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Test edge case with empty input for GET method, and normalized input using schema.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 64098
+	 */
+	public function test_empty_input_handling_get_method_with_normalized_input(): void {
+		wp_register_ability(
+			'test/read-only-empty-array',
+			array(
+				'label'               => 'Read-only Empty Array',
+				'description'         => 'Read-only with inferred empty array input from schema.',
+				'category'            => 'general',
+				'input_schema'        => array(
+					'type'    => 'array',
+					'default' => array(),
+				),
+				'execute_callback'    => static function ( $input ) {
+					return is_array( $input ) && empty( $input );
+				},
+				'permission_callback' => '__return_true',
+				'meta'                => array(
+					'annotations'  => array(
+						'readonly' => true,
+					),
+					'show_in_rest' => true,
+				),
+			)
+		);
+
+		// Tests GET with no input parameter.
+		$get_request  = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wp-abilities/v1/abilities/test/read-only-empty-array/run' );
+		$get_response = $this->server->dispatch( $get_request );
+		$this->assertEquals( 200, $get_response->get_status() );
+		$this->assertTrue( $get_response->get_data() );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Test edge case with empty input for POST method.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 64098
+	 */
+	public function test_empty_input_handling_post_method(): void {
 		wp_register_ability(
 			'test/regular-empty',
 			array(
@@ -962,12 +1010,6 @@ public function test_empty_input_handling(): void {
 			)
 		);
 
-		// Tests GET with no input parameter.
-		$get_request  = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wp-abilities/v1/abilities/test/read-only-empty/run' );
-		$get_response = $this->server->dispatch( $get_request );
-		$this->assertEquals( 200, $get_response->get_status() );
-		$this->assertTrue( $get_response->get_data()['input_was_empty'] );
-
 		// Tests POST with no body.
 		$post_request = new WP_REST_Request( 'POST', '/wp-abilities/v1/abilities/test/regular-empty/run' );
 		$post_request->set_header( 'Content-Type', 'application/json' );