diff --git a/app/graph/page.tsx b/app/graph/page.tsx
index 152a4ec3..d938772a 100644
--- a/app/graph/page.tsx
+++ b/app/graph/page.tsx
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export default function Page() {
         // Proposed abstraction for improved modularity
         if (!validateGraphSelection(state.graphName)) return;
 
-        const q = state.query.trim() || "MATCH (n)-[e]-() RETURN n,e limit 100";
+        const q = state.query.trim() || "MATCH (n) OPTIONAL MATCH (n)-[e]-(m) RETURN n,e,m limit 100";
 
         const result = await fetch(`/api/graph?graph=${prepareArg(state.graphName)}&query=${prepareArg(q)}`, {
             method: 'GET',
diff --git a/app/graph/query.tsx b/app/graph/query.tsx
index 875cb39f..e94b3a99 100644
--- a/app/graph/query.tsx
+++ b/app/graph/query.tsx
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export function Query({ onSubmit, onQueryUpdate, className = "" }: {
             </div>
             <div className="flex flex-row space-x-3 w-full md:w-8/12 items-center">
                 <Input id="query" className="border-gray-500 w-full"
-                    placeholder="MATCH (n)-[e]-() RETURN n,e limit 100" type="text" onChange={(event) => setQuery(event.target.value)} />
+                    placeholder="MATCH (n) OPTIONAL MATCH (n)-[e]-(m) RETURN n,e,m limit 100" type="text" onChange={(event) => setQuery(event.target.value)} />
                 <TooltipProvider>
                     <Tooltip>
                         <TooltipTrigger asChild>