diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6f706dba6b..3169a18c10 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 1.  [#2953](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/2953): Fix error reporting in DataExplorer
 1.  [#2947](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/2947): Fix Okta oauth2 provider support
 1.  [#2866](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/2866): Change hover text on delete mappings confirmation button to 'Delete'
+1.  [#2919](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/2919): Automatically add graph type 'line' to any graph missing a type
 
 ## v1.4.2.3 [2018-03-08]
 
diff --git a/bolt/internal/internal.go b/bolt/internal/internal.go
index 729bb8627e..c51fe1d191 100644
--- a/bolt/internal/internal.go
+++ b/bolt/internal/internal.go
@@ -404,6 +404,13 @@ func UnmarshalDashboard(data []byte, d *chronograf.Dashboard) error {
 			legend.Orientation = c.Legend.Orientation
 		}
 
+		// FIXME: this is merely for legacy cells and
+		//        should be removed as soon as possible
+		cellType := c.Type
+		if cellType == "" {
+			cellType = "line"
+		}
+
 		cells[i] = chronograf.DashboardCell{
 			ID:         c.ID,
 			X:          c.X,
@@ -412,7 +419,7 @@ func UnmarshalDashboard(data []byte, d *chronograf.Dashboard) error {
 			H:          c.H,
 			Name:       c.Name,
 			Queries:    queries,
-			Type:       c.Type,
+			Type:       cellType,
 			Axes:       axes,
 			CellColors: colors,
 			Legend:     legend,
diff --git a/bolt/internal/internal_test.go b/bolt/internal/internal_test.go
index 47c7067b46..b7ca2c0f37 100644
--- a/bolt/internal/internal_test.go
+++ b/bolt/internal/internal_test.go
@@ -434,3 +434,37 @@ func Test_MarshalDashboard_WithEmptyLegacyBounds(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Dashboard protobuf copy error: diff follows:\n%s", cmp.Diff(expected, actual))
 	}
 }
+
+func Test_MarshalDashboard_WithEmptyCellType(t *testing.T) {
+	dashboard := chronograf.Dashboard{
+		ID: 1,
+		Cells: []chronograf.DashboardCell{
+			{
+				ID: "9b5367de-c552-4322-a9e8-7f384cbd235c",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	expected := chronograf.Dashboard{
+		ID: 1,
+		Cells: []chronograf.DashboardCell{
+			{
+				ID:         "9b5367de-c552-4322-a9e8-7f384cbd235c",
+				Type:       "line",
+				Queries:    []chronograf.DashboardQuery{},
+				Axes:       map[string]chronograf.Axis{},
+				CellColors: []chronograf.CellColor{},
+			},
+		},
+		Templates: []chronograf.Template{},
+	}
+
+	var actual chronograf.Dashboard
+	if buf, err := internal.MarshalDashboard(dashboard); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Error marshaling dashboard: err", err)
+	} else if err := internal.UnmarshalDashboard(buf, &actual); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Error unmarshaling dashboard: err:", err)
+	} else if !cmp.Equal(expected, actual) {
+		t.Fatalf("Dashboard protobuf copy error: diff follows:\n%s", cmp.Diff(expected, actual))
+	}
+}