diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-list/index.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-list/index.js
index f906372bfa815..825deb9f5b436 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-list/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-list/index.js
@@ -211,7 +211,9 @@ function Items( {
 									'disabled' &&
 							  __unstableGetEditorMode() !== 'zoom-out'
 							: rootClientId === selectedBlockClientId ||
-							  ( ! rootClientId && ! selectedBlockClientId ) ),
+							  ( ! rootClientId &&
+									! selectedBlockClientId &&
+									! _order.length ) ),
 				};
 			},
 			[ rootClientId, hasAppender, hasCustomAppender ]
diff --git a/packages/edit-post/src/components/visual-editor/index.js b/packages/edit-post/src/components/visual-editor/index.js
index 74dffb35fcd27..0b36ef6da01d1 100644
--- a/packages/edit-post/src/components/visual-editor/index.js
+++ b/packages/edit-post/src/components/visual-editor/index.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { store as blocksStore } from '@wordpress/blocks';
  */
 import { store as editPostStore } from '../../store';
 import { unlock } from '../../lock-unlock';
+import { usePaddingAppender } from './use-padding-appender';
 
 const { EditorCanvas } = unlock( editorPrivateApis );
 
@@ -53,6 +54,8 @@ export default function VisualEditor( { styles } ) {
 		[]
 	);
 
+	const paddingAppenderRef = usePaddingAppender();
+
 	let paddingBottom;
 
 	// Add a constant padding for the typewritter effect. When typing at the
@@ -91,6 +94,7 @@ export default function VisualEditor( { styles } ) {
 				// We should auto-focus the canvas (title) on load.
 				// eslint-disable-next-line jsx-a11y/no-autofocus
 				autoFocus={ ! isWelcomeGuideVisible }
+				contentRef={ paddingAppenderRef }
 			/>
 		</div>
 	);
diff --git a/packages/edit-post/src/components/visual-editor/use-padding-appender.js b/packages/edit-post/src/components/visual-editor/use-padding-appender.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..c091443495740
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/edit-post/src/components/visual-editor/use-padding-appender.js
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/**
+ * WordPress dependencies
+ */
+import { useRegistry } from '@wordpress/data';
+import { useRefEffect } from '@wordpress/compose';
+import { store as blockEditorStore } from '@wordpress/block-editor';
+import { isUnmodifiedDefaultBlock } from '@wordpress/blocks';
+
+export function usePaddingAppender() {
+	const registry = useRegistry();
+	return useRefEffect(
+		( node ) => {
+			function onMouseDown( event ) {
+				if ( event.target !== node ) {
+					return;
+				}
+
+				const { ownerDocument } = node;
+				const { defaultView } = ownerDocument;
+
+				const paddingBottom = defaultView.parseInt(
+					defaultView.getComputedStyle( node ).paddingBottom,
+					10
+				);
+
+				if ( ! paddingBottom ) {
+					return;
+				}
+
+				// only handle clicks under the last child
+				const lastChild = node.lastElementChild;
+				if ( ! lastChild ) {
+					return;
+				}
+
+				const lastChildRect = lastChild.getBoundingClientRect();
+				if ( event.clientY < lastChildRect.bottom ) {
+					return;
+				}
+
+				event.preventDefault();
+
+				const blockOrder = registry
+					.select( blockEditorStore )
+					.getBlockOrder( '' );
+				const lastBlockClientId = blockOrder[ blockOrder.length - 1 ];
+				const lastBlock = registry
+					.select( blockEditorStore )
+					.getBlock( lastBlockClientId );
+				const { selectBlock, insertDefaultBlock } =
+					registry.dispatch( blockEditorStore );
+
+				if ( isUnmodifiedDefaultBlock( lastBlock ) ) {
+					selectBlock( lastBlockClientId );
+				} else {
+					insertDefaultBlock();
+				}
+			}
+			node.addEventListener( 'mousedown', onMouseDown );
+			return () => {
+				node.removeEventListener( 'mousedown', onMouseDown );
+			};
+		},
+		[ registry ]
+	);
+}
diff --git a/packages/editor/src/components/editor-canvas/index.js b/packages/editor/src/components/editor-canvas/index.js
index 363d52b124aa0..5b45f42be92a9 100644
--- a/packages/editor/src/components/editor-canvas/index.js
+++ b/packages/editor/src/components/editor-canvas/index.js
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ const {
 	useFlashEditableBlocks,
 } = unlock( blockEditorPrivateApis );
 
-const noop = () => {};
-
 /**
  * These post types have a special editor where they don't allow you to fill the title
  * and they don't apply the layout styles.
@@ -95,6 +93,7 @@ function EditorCanvas( {
 	styles,
 	disableIframe = false,
 	iframeProps,
+	contentRef,
 	children,
 } ) {
 	const {
@@ -308,9 +307,10 @@ function EditorCanvas( {
 
 	const localRef = useRef();
 	const typewriterRef = useTypewriter();
-	const contentRef = useMergeRefs( [
+	contentRef = useMergeRefs( [
 		localRef,
-		renderingMode === 'post-only' ? typewriterRef : noop,
+		contentRef,
+		renderingMode === 'post-only' ? typewriterRef : null,
 		useFlashEditableBlocks( {
 			isEnabled: renderingMode === 'template-locked',
 		} ),
diff --git a/test/e2e/specs/editor/plugins/custom-post-types.spec.js b/test/e2e/specs/editor/plugins/custom-post-types.spec.js
index 01dde03650ef7..9aabe4e7454f9 100644
--- a/test/e2e/specs/editor/plugins/custom-post-types.spec.js
+++ b/test/e2e/specs/editor/plugins/custom-post-types.spec.js
@@ -72,9 +72,7 @@ test.describe( 'Test Custom Post Types', () => {
 		page,
 	} ) => {
 		await admin.createNewPost( { postType: 'leg_block_in_tpl' } );
-		await editor.canvas
-			.locator( 'role=button[name="Add default block"i]' )
-			.click();
+		await editor.insertBlock( { name: 'core/paragraph' } );
 		await page.keyboard.type( 'Hello there' );
 
 		await expect.poll( editor.getBlocks ).toMatchObject( [
diff --git a/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/copy-cut-paste.spec.js b/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/copy-cut-paste.spec.js
index ec0cbab9ca809..a4055af481394 100644
--- a/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/copy-cut-paste.spec.js
+++ b/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/copy-cut-paste.spec.js
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@ test.describe( 'Copy/cut/paste', () => {
 		await page.evaluate( () => {
 			window.wp.data.dispatch( 'core/block-editor' ).clearSelectedBlock();
 		} );
-		await editor.canvas
-			.locator( 'role=button[name="Add default block"i]' )
-			.click();
+		await editor.insertBlock( { name: 'core/paragraph' } );
 		await pageUtils.pressKeys( 'primary+v' );
 		expect( await editor.getEditedPostContent() ).toMatchSnapshot();
 	} );
@@ -85,9 +83,7 @@ test.describe( 'Copy/cut/paste', () => {
 		await page.evaluate( () => {
 			window.wp.data.dispatch( 'core/block-editor' ).clearSelectedBlock();
 		} );
-		await editor.canvas
-			.locator( 'role=button[name="Add default block"i]' )
-			.click();
+		await editor.insertBlock( { name: 'core/paragraph' } );
 		await pageUtils.pressKeys( 'primary+v' );
 		expect( await editor.getEditedPostContent() ).toMatchSnapshot();
 	} );
diff --git a/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/inserting-blocks.spec.js b/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/inserting-blocks.spec.js
index 8d7f996597224..b3da80c12ab09 100644
--- a/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/inserting-blocks.spec.js
+++ b/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/inserting-blocks.spec.js
@@ -26,6 +26,27 @@ test.describe( 'Inserting blocks (@firefox, @webkit)', () => {
 		await requestUtils.deleteAllPatternCategories();
 	} );
 
+	test( 'inserts a default block on bottom padding click', async ( {
+		admin,
+		editor,
+	} ) => {
+		await admin.createNewPost();
+		await editor.insertBlock( { name: 'core/image' } );
+		const body = editor.canvas.locator( 'body' );
+		const box = await body.boundingBox();
+		await body.click( {
+			position: {
+				x: box.width / 2,
+				y: box.height - 10,
+			},
+		} );
+
+		expect( await editor.getBlocks() ).toMatchObject( [
+			{ name: 'core/image' },
+			{ name: 'core/paragraph' },
+		] );
+	} );
+
 	test( 'inserts blocks by dragging and dropping from the global inserter', async ( {
 		admin,
 		page,
diff --git a/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/keyboard-navigable-blocks.spec.js b/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/keyboard-navigable-blocks.spec.js
index 51b08359d1269..6a7125d04f7a6 100644
--- a/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/keyboard-navigable-blocks.spec.js
+++ b/test/e2e/specs/editor/various/keyboard-navigable-blocks.spec.js
@@ -107,14 +107,6 @@ test.describe( 'Order of block keyboard navigation', () => {
 				.focus();
 		} );
 
-		await pageUtils.pressKeys( 'shift+Tab' );
-		await KeyboardNavigableBlocks.expectLabelToHaveFocus( 'Add block' );
-
-		await pageUtils.pressKeys( 'shift+Tab' );
-		await KeyboardNavigableBlocks.expectLabelToHaveFocus(
-			'Add default block'
-		);
-
 		await pageUtils.pressKeys( 'shift+Tab' );
 		await KeyboardNavigableBlocks.expectLabelToHaveFocus(
 			'Paragraph Block. Row 2. 1'