diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e0775ab..d0ce962 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- `figure` shortcode would load recursively when using the `default` paramater ([#1074](https://github.com/jpanther/congo/issues/1074))
 - Some partials not loading due to incorrect file paths ([#1075](https://github.com/jpanther/congo/pull/1075))
 
 ## [2.12.0] - 2025-06-22
diff --git a/layouts/_shortcodes/figure.html b/layouts/_shortcodes/figure.html
index 0ef6527..573c3f3 100644
--- a/layouts/_shortcodes/figure.html
+++ b/layouts/_shortcodes/figure.html
@@ -1,5 +1,42 @@
 {{ if .Get "default" }}
-  {{ template "_shortcodes/figure.html" . }}
+  <figure{{ with .Get "class" }} class="{{ . }}"{{ end }}>
+    {{- if .Get "link" -}}
+      <a href="{{ .Get "link" }}"{{ with .Get "target" }} target="{{ . }}"{{ end }}{{ with .Get "rel" }} rel="{{ . }}"{{ end }}>
+    {{- end -}}
+
+    {{- $u := urls.Parse (.Get "src") -}}
+    {{- $src := $u.String -}}
+    {{- if not $u.IsAbs -}}
+      {{- with or (.Page.Resources.Get $u.Path) (resources.Get $u.Path) -}}
+        {{- $src = .RelPermalink -}}
+      {{- end -}}
+    {{- end -}}
+
+    <img src="{{ $src }}"
+      {{- if or (.Get "alt") (.Get "caption") }}
+      alt="{{ with .Get "alt" }}{{ . }}{{ else }}{{ .Get "caption" | markdownify| plainify }}{{ end }}"
+      {{- end -}}
+      {{- with .Get "width" }} width="{{ . }}"{{ end -}}
+      {{- with .Get "height" }} height="{{ . }}"{{ end -}}
+      {{- with .Get "loading" }} loading="{{ . }}"{{ end -}}
+    ><!-- Closing img tag -->
+    {{- if .Get "link" }}</a>{{ end -}}
+    {{- if or (or (.Get "title") (.Get "caption")) (.Get "attr") -}}
+      <figcaption>
+        {{ with (.Get "title") -}}
+          <h4>{{ . }}</h4>
+        {{- end -}}
+        {{- if or (.Get "caption") (.Get "attr") -}}<p>
+          {{- .Get "caption" | markdownify -}}
+          {{- with .Get "attrlink" }}
+            <a href="{{ . }}">
+          {{- end -}}
+          {{- .Get "attr" | markdownify -}}
+          {{- if .Get "attrlink" }}</a>{{ end }}</p>
+        {{- end }}
+      </figcaption>
+    {{- end }}
+  </figure>
 {{ else }}
   {{ $url := urls.Parse (.Get "src") }}
   {{ $altText := .Get "alt" }}