diff --git a/dandi/cli/cmd_organize.py b/dandi/cli/cmd_organize.py
index 8c9972d9..9b0c0037 100644
--- a/dandi/cli/cmd_organize.py
+++ b/dandi/cli/cmd_organize.py
@@ -25,12 +25,13 @@ from ..consts import dandiset_metadata_file, file_operation_modes
     "-f",
     "--files-mode",
     help="If 'dry' - no action is performed, suggested renames are printed. "
-    "I 'simulate' - hierarchy of empty files at --local-top-path is created. "
-    "Note that previous layout should be removed prior this operation.  The "
-    "other modes (copy, move, symlink, hardlink) define how data files should "
-    "be made available.",
+    "If 'simulate' - hierarchy of empty files at --local-top-path is created. "
+    "Note that previous layout should be removed prior this operation.  "
+    "If 'auto' - whichever of symlink, hardlink, copy is allowed by system. "
+    "The other modes (copy, move, symlink, hardlink) define how data files "
+    "should be made available.",
     type=click.Choice(file_operation_modes),
-    default="dry",
+    default="auto",
     show_default=True,
 )
 @click.argument("paths", nargs=-1, type=click.Path(exists=True))
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ def organize(
     dandiset_path=None,
     dandiset_id=None,
     invalid="fail",
-    files_mode="dry",
+    files_mode="auto",
     devel_debug=False,
 ):
     """(Re)organize files according to the metadata.
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ def organize(
         filter_invalid_metadata_rows,
         populate_dataset_yml,
         create_dataset_yml_template,
+        detect_link_type,
     )
     from ..metadata import get_metadata
     from ..dandiset import Dandiset
@@ -210,6 +212,9 @@ def organize(
     if not op.exists(dandiset_path):
         act(os.makedirs, dandiset_path)
 
+    if files_mode == "auto":
+        files_mode = detect_link_type(dandiset_path)
+
     dandiset_metadata_filepath = op.join(dandiset_path, dandiset_metadata_file)
     if op.lexists(dandiset_metadata_filepath):
         if dandiset_id is not None:
diff --git a/dandi/consts.py b/dandi/consts.py
index eab3d3fb..2ed0fb90 100644
--- a/dandi/consts.py
+++ b/dandi/consts.py
@@ -108,7 +108,15 @@ known_instances_rev = {vv: k for k, v in known_instances.items() for vv in v if
 collection_drafts = "drafts"
 collection_releases = "releases"
 
-file_operation_modes = ["dry", "simulate", "copy", "move", "hardlink", "symlink"]
+file_operation_modes = [
+    "dry",
+    "simulate",
+    "copy",
+    "move",
+    "hardlink",
+    "symlink",
+    "auto",
+]
 
 #
 # Download (upload?) specific constants
diff --git a/dandi/organize.py b/dandi/organize.py
index c8d112e3..bf7277fc 100644
--- a/dandi/organize.py
+++ b/dandi/organize.py
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ import numpy as np
 import re
 from collections import Counter
 
+import os
 import os.path as op
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from .exceptions import OrganizeImpossibleError
 from . import get_logger
@@ -572,3 +574,43 @@ def _get_non_unique_paths(metadata):
                     orig_paths.append(e["path"])
             non_unique[p] = orig_paths  # overload with the list instead of count
     return non_unique
+
+
+def detect_link_type(workdir):
+    """
+    Determine what type of links the filesystem will let us make in the
+    directory ``workdir``.  If symlinks are allowed, returns ``"symlink"``.
+    Otherwise, if hard links are allowed, returns ``"hardlink"``.  Otherwise,
+    returns ``"copy"``.
+    """
+    srcfile = Path(workdir, f".dandi.{os.getpid()}.src")
+    destfile = Path(workdir, f".dandi.{os.getpid()}.dest")
+    try:
+        srcfile.touch()
+        try:
+            os.symlink(srcfile, destfile)
+        except OSError:
+            try:
+                os.link(srcfile, destfile)
+            except OSError:
+                lgr.info(
+                    "Symlink and hardlink tests both failed; setting files_mode='copy'"
+                )
+                return "copy"
+            else:
+                lgr.info(
+                    "Hard link support autodetected; setting files_mode='hardlink'"
+                )
+                return "hardlink"
+        else:
+            lgr.info("Symlink support autodetected; setting files_mode='symlink'")
+            return "symlink"
+    finally:
+        try:
+            destfile.unlink()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            pass
+        try:
+            srcfile.unlink()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            pass

diff --git a/dandi/tests/test_organize.py b/dandi/tests/test_organize.py
index aeecdce9..19281434 100644
--- a/dandi/tests/test_organize.py
+++ b/dandi/tests/test_organize.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from ..organize import (
     create_unique_filenames_from_metadata,
     get_obj_id,
     populate_dataset_yml,
+    detect_link_type,
 )
 from ..utils import find_files, on_windows, yaml_load
 from ..pynwb_utils import copy_nwb_file, get_object_id
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ def test_organize_nwb_test_data(nwb_test_data, tmpdir, clirunner, mode):
 
     if mode == "simulate":
         assert all((op.isabs(p) != relative) for p in produced_paths)
-    elif mode == "symlink":
+    elif mode == "symlink" or mode == "auto":
         assert all(op.islink(p) for p in produced_nwb_paths)
     else:
         assert not any(op.islink(p) for p in produced_paths)
@@ -203,3 +204,23 @@ def test_ambiguos_probe1():
         op.join("sub-1", "sub-1_probe-1_mod.nwb"),
         op.join("sub-1", "sub-1_probe-2_mod.nwb"),
     ]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "sym_success,hard_success,result",
+    [
+        (True, True, "symlink"),
+        (True, False, "symlink"),
+        (False, True, "hardlink"),
+        (False, False, "copy"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_detect_link_type(monkeypatch, tmp_path, sym_success, hard_success, result):
+    def error_link(src, dest):
+        raise OSError("Operation failed")
+
+    if not sym_success:
+        monkeypatch.setattr(os, "symlink", error_link)
+    if not hard_success:
+        monkeypatch.setattr(os, "link", error_link)
+    assert detect_link_type(tmp_path) == result

organize: -f "auto"
ATM we default to "dry" mode, and https://www.dandiarchive.org/handbook/10_using_dandi/ instructs to use "symlink" after running  a dry.
I think by default we should do "auto" which would either symlink, hardlink, or copy if not possible (test on the filesystem within that folder on some bogus file to see if symlinks/hardlinks are supported).
dandi/tests/test_organize.py::test_sanitize_value dandi/tests/test_organize.py::test_organize_nwb_test_data[dry] dandi/tests/test_organize.py::test_ambiguos_probe1 dandi/tests/test_organize.py::test_detect_link_type[True-True-symlink] dandi/tests/test_organize.py::test_detect_link_type[True-False-symlink] dandi/tests/test_organize.py::test_detect_link_type[False-True-hardlink] dandi/tests/test_organize.py::test_detect_link_type[False-False-copy]