diff --git a/internal/command/launch/launch.go b/internal/command/launch/launch.go
index c68a3c8786..e47dfcdf1f 100644
--- a/internal/command/launch/launch.go
+++ b/internal/command/launch/launch.go
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/docker/go-units"
 	fly "github.com/superfly/fly-go"
 	"github.com/superfly/fly-go/flaps"
+	"github.com/superfly/flyctl/helpers"
 	"github.com/superfly/flyctl/internal/appconfig"
 	"github.com/superfly/flyctl/internal/command/launch/plan"
 	"github.com/superfly/flyctl/internal/flag"
@@ -169,12 +171,34 @@ func (state *launchState) updateConfig(ctx context.Context) {
 	if state.env != nil {
 		state.appConfig.SetEnvVariables(state.env)
 	}
+
+	state.appConfig.Compute = state.Plan.Compute
+
 	if state.Plan.HttpServicePort != 0 {
+		// default to autostop: suspend
+		autostop := fly.MachineAutostopSuspend
+
+		// if any compute has a GPU or more than 2GB of memory, set autostop to stop
+		for _, compute := range state.appConfig.Compute {
+			if compute.MachineGuest != nil && compute.MachineGuest.GPUKind != "" {
+				autostop = fly.MachineAutostopStop
+				break
+			}
+
+			if compute.Memory != "" {
+				mb, err := helpers.ParseSize(compute.Memory, units.RAMInBytes, units.MiB)
+				if err != nil || mb >= 2048 {
+					autostop = fly.MachineAutostopStop
+					break
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 		if state.appConfig.HTTPService == nil {
 			state.appConfig.HTTPService = &appconfig.HTTPService{
 				ForceHTTPS:         true,
 				AutoStartMachines:  fly.Pointer(true),
-				AutoStopMachines:   fly.Pointer(fly.MachineAutostopStop),
+				AutoStopMachines:   fly.Pointer(autostop),
 				MinMachinesRunning: fly.Pointer(0),
 				Processes:          []string{"app"},
 			}
@@ -183,7 +207,6 @@ func (state *launchState) updateConfig(ctx context.Context) {
 	} else {
 		state.appConfig.HTTPService = nil
 	}
-	state.appConfig.Compute = state.Plan.Compute
 }
 
 // createApp creates the fly.io app for the plan
diff --git a/test/preflight/apps_v2_integration_test.go b/test/preflight/apps_v2_integration_test.go
index 700e4083de..66fb8d2da1 100644
--- a/test/preflight/apps_v2_integration_test.go
+++ b/test/preflight/apps_v2_integration_test.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func TestAppsV2Example(t *testing.T) {
 
 	require.NotNil(t, firstMachine.Config.Services[0].Autostop)
 	assert.Equal(
-		t, fly.MachineAutostopStop, *firstMachine.Config.Services[0].Autostop,
+		t, fly.MachineAutostopSuspend, *firstMachine.Config.Services[0].Autostop,
 		"autostop must be enabled",
 	)
 
diff --git a/test/preflight/fly_launch_test.go b/test/preflight/fly_launch_test.go
index 1782004f78..6a11ad42a4 100644
--- a/test/preflight/fly_launch_test.go
+++ b/test/preflight/fly_launch_test.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func TestFlyLaunchV2(t *testing.T) {
 		"http_service": map[string]any{
 			"force_https":          true,
 			"internal_port":        int64(8080),
-			"auto_stop_machines":   "stop",
+			"auto_stop_machines":   "suspend",
 			"auto_start_machines":  true,
 			"min_machines_running": int64(0),
 			"processes":            []any{"app"},