diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ffc2d97baf..5b3e56be44 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 ## DFX
 
+### fix: improved responsiveness of `greet` method call in default Motoko project template
+
+`greet` method was marked as an `update` call, but it performs no state updates. Changing it to `query` call will result in faster execution.
+
 ### feat!: "system-wide dfx start"
 
 By default, dfx now manages the replica process in a way that is independent of any given dfx project.  We've called this feature "system-wide dfx", even though it's actually specific to your user
diff --git a/src/dfx/assets/new_project_motoko_files/src/__project_name___backend/main.mo b/src/dfx/assets/new_project_motoko_files/src/__project_name___backend/main.mo
index 887f0c5e42..540f30b98d 100644
--- a/src/dfx/assets/new_project_motoko_files/src/__project_name___backend/main.mo
+++ b/src/dfx/assets/new_project_motoko_files/src/__project_name___backend/main.mo
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 actor {
-  public func greet(name : Text) : async Text {
+  public query func greet(name : Text) : async Text {
     return "Hello, " # name # "!";
   };
 };