diff --git a/.changeset/big-hairs-speak.md b/.changeset/big-hairs-speak.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..49b52a54fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/big-hairs-speak.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@khanacademy/perseus": patch
+---
+
+Refactor cs-program to use a getUserInputFunction
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/cs-program/cs-program.test.ts b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/cs-program/cs-program.test.ts
index efd9bc18e1..89f9ab8699 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/cs-program/cs-program.test.ts
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/cs-program/cs-program.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import {renderQuestion} from "../__testutils__/renderQuestion";
 
 import {question1} from "./cs-program.testdata";
 
+import type {PerseusCSProgramUserInput} from "../../validation.types";
+
 describe("cs-program widget", () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
         jest.spyOn(Dependencies, "getDependencies").mockReturnValue(
@@ -37,5 +39,16 @@ describe("cs-program widget", () => {
         expect(container).toMatchSnapshot("first mobile render");
     });
 
-    // This widget doesn't have any direct behavior, it just renders an iframe
+    it("should show default user input before user interaction", () => {
+        const apiOptions = {
+            isMobile: false,
+        } as const;
+
+        const {renderer} = renderQuestion(question1, apiOptions);
+        const userInput =
+            renderer.getUserInput()[0] as PerseusCSProgramUserInput;
+
+        expect(userInput.status).toBe("incomplete");
+        expect(userInput.message).toBe(null);
+    });
 });
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/cs-program/cs-program.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/cs-program/cs-program.tsx
index 64e4215eb7..4b85e7f454 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/cs-program/cs-program.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/cs-program/cs-program.tsx
@@ -108,11 +108,15 @@ class CSProgram extends React.Component<Props> {
         return Changeable.change.apply(this, args);
     };
 
-    simpleValidate(): PerseusScore {
-        return csProgramValidator({
+    getUserInput(): PerseusCSProgramUserInput {
+        return {
             status: this.props.status,
             message: this.props.message,
-        });
+        };
+    }
+
+    simpleValidate(): PerseusScore {
+        return csProgramValidator(this.getUserInput());
     }
 
     render(): React.ReactNode {