diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ff8625a..03d7fd7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 ## next
 
 - Add support for meson as formatter
+- Use meson as default formatter
+- Add auto select capability for formatting provider preference
 
 ## 1.26.0
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1aa5e4b..a21c940 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -192,12 +192,13 @@
         },
         "mesonbuild.formatting.provider": {
           "type": "string",
-          "default": "muon",
+          "default": "auto",
           "enum": [
-            "muon",
-            "meson"
+            "auto",
+            "meson",
+            "muon"
           ],
-          "description": "Select which formatting provider to use"
+          "description": "Select which formatting provider to use. If set to 'auto', the best available one is picked"
         },
         "mesonbuild.formatting.muonConfig": {
           "type": "string",
diff --git a/src/formatters.ts b/src/formatters.ts
index a707600..1d5c63e 100644
--- a/src/formatters.ts
+++ b/src/formatters.ts
@@ -9,19 +9,72 @@ type FormatterFunc = (tool: Tool, root: string, document: vscode.TextDocument) =
 type FormatterDefinition = {
   format: FormatterFunc;
   check: ToolCheckFunc;
+  priority: number;
 };
 
+//NOTE: the highest priority number means it is tested first, the lowest is tested last
 const formatters: Record<FormattingProvider, FormatterDefinition> = {
   muon: {
     format: muon.format,
     check: muon.check,
+    priority: 0,
   },
   meson: {
     format: meson.format,
     check: meson.check,
+    priority: 1,
   },
 };
 
+type FormatterError = { provider: FormattingProvider; error: string };
+
+type BestTool = {
+  provider: FormattingProvider;
+  tool: Tool;
+};
+
+type BestFormatterResult = BestTool | FormatterError[];
+
+async function getBestAvailableFormatter(provider: FormattingProvider | "auto"): Promise<BestFormatterResult> {
+  if (provider !== "auto") {
+    const props = formatters[provider];
+
+    const checkResult = await props.check();
+    if (checkResult.isError()) {
+      return [{ provider, error: checkResult.error }];
+    }
+
+    return { provider, tool: checkResult.tool };
+  }
+
+  // sort the available providers by priority
+  const providerPriority: FormattingProvider[] = (Object.keys(formatters) as FormattingProvider[]).sort(
+    (provider1: FormattingProvider, provider2: FormattingProvider) => {
+      return formatters[provider2].priority - formatters[provider1].priority;
+    },
+  );
+
+  const errors: FormatterError[] = [];
+
+  for (const providerName of providerPriority) {
+    const props = formatters[providerName];
+
+    const checkResult = await props.check();
+    if (checkResult.isError()) {
+      errors.push({ provider: providerName, error: checkResult.error });
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    return { provider: providerName, tool: checkResult.tool };
+  }
+
+  return errors;
+}
+
+function isFormaterErrors(input: BestFormatterResult): input is FormatterError[] {
+  return Array.isArray(input);
+}
+
 async function reloadFormatters(sourceRoot: string, context: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<vscode.Disposable[]> {
   let disposables: vscode.Disposable[] = [];
 
@@ -29,19 +82,30 @@ async function reloadFormatters(sourceRoot: string, context: vscode.ExtensionCon
     return disposables;
   }
 
-  const name = extensionConfiguration("formatting").provider;
-  const props = formatters[name];
+  const providerName = extensionConfiguration("formatting").provider;
+
+  const bestFormatter = await getBestAvailableFormatter(providerName);
 
-  const checkResult = await props.check();
-  if (checkResult.isError()) {
-    getOutputChannel().appendLine(`Failed to enable formatter ${name}: ${checkResult.error}`);
+  if (isFormaterErrors(bestFormatter)) {
+    getOutputChannel().appendLine(`Failed to find an available formatter: The user preference was '${providerName}'`);
+    for (const { provider, error } of bestFormatter) {
+      getOutputChannel().appendLine(`Failed to enable formatter ${provider}: ${error}`);
+    }
     getOutputChannel().show(true);
     return disposables;
   }
 
+  const { tool, provider } = bestFormatter;
+
+  getOutputChannel().appendLine(
+    `The best formatter was determined to be ${provider}: The user preference was '${providerName}'`,
+  );
+
+  const props = formatters[provider];
+
   const sub = vscode.languages.registerDocumentFormattingEditProvider("meson", {
     async provideDocumentFormattingEdits(document: vscode.TextDocument): Promise<vscode.TextEdit[]> {
-      return await props.format(checkResult.tool, sourceRoot, document);
+      return await props.format(tool, sourceRoot, document);
     },
   });
 
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 5a328d4..299dbe6 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export interface ExtensionConfiguration {
   };
   formatting: {
     enabled: boolean;
-    provider: FormattingProvider;
+    provider: FormattingProvider | "auto";
     muonConfig: string | null;
     mesonConfig: string | null;
   };