diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1dbc501b..309ec73d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -521,6 +521,19 @@ end
 User.new(:birthday => "").birthday # => nil
 ```
 
+## Use Default On Nil Mode
+
+If you have attributes with `:default` set, you can use the `:use_default_on_nil` option to fall back to the default value whenever the attribute is set to `nil`.
+
+```ruby
+class Page
+  include Virtus.model(:use_default_on_nil => true)
+
+  attribute :views, Integer, :default => 0
+end
+
+Page(:views => nil).views # => 0
+```
 
 ## Building modules with custom configuration
 
diff --git a/lib/virtus.rb b/lib/virtus.rb
index 1b83ab0b..bc6a06c5 100644
--- a/lib/virtus.rb
+++ b/lib/virtus.rb
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ def self.warn(msg)
 require 'virtus/attribute/strict'
 require 'virtus/attribute/lazy_default'
 require 'virtus/attribute/nullify_blank'
+require 'virtus/attribute/use_default_on_nil'
 
 require 'virtus/attribute/boolean'
 require 'virtus/attribute/collection'
diff --git a/lib/virtus/attribute.rb b/lib/virtus/attribute.rb
index 0654d4d1..6fdbcfc7 100644
--- a/lib/virtus/attribute.rb
+++ b/lib/virtus/attribute.rb
@@ -20,13 +20,14 @@ class Attribute
 
     include Equalizer.new(inspect) << :type << :options
 
-    accept_options :primitive, :accessor, :default, :lazy, :strict, :required, :finalize, :nullify_blank
+    accept_options :primitive, :accessor, :default, :lazy, :strict, :required, :finalize, :nullify_blank, :use_default_on_nil
 
     strict false
     required true
     accessor :public
     finalize true
     nullify_blank false
+    use_default_on_nil false
 
     # @see Virtus.coerce
     #
@@ -194,6 +195,23 @@ def nullify_blank?
       kind_of?(NullifyBlank)
     end
 
+    # Return if the attribute is to use the default value when set to nil
+    #
+    # @example
+    #
+    #   attr = Virtus::Attribute.build(String, :use_default_on_nil => true)
+    #   attr.use_default_on_nil? # => true
+    #
+    #   attr = Virtus::Attribute.build(String, :use_default_on_nil => false)
+    #   attr.use_default_on_nil? # => false
+    #
+    # @return [Boolean]
+    #
+    # @api public
+    def use_default_on_nil?
+      kind_of?(UseDefaultOnNil)
+    end
+
     # Return if the attribute is accepts nil values as valid coercion output
     #
     # @example
diff --git a/lib/virtus/attribute/builder.rb b/lib/virtus/attribute/builder.rb
index 9ac6faa5..e3ab4cab 100644
--- a/lib/virtus/attribute/builder.rb
+++ b/lib/virtus/attribute/builder.rb
@@ -160,11 +160,12 @@ def initialize_coercer
       def initialize_attribute
         @attribute = klass.new(type, options)
 
-        @attribute.extend(Accessor)     if options[:name]
-        @attribute.extend(Coercible)    if options[:coerce]
-        @attribute.extend(NullifyBlank) if options[:nullify_blank]
-        @attribute.extend(Strict)       if options[:strict]
-        @attribute.extend(LazyDefault)  if options[:lazy]
+        @attribute.extend(Accessor)        if options[:name]
+        @attribute.extend(Coercible)       if options[:coerce]
+        @attribute.extend(NullifyBlank)    if options[:nullify_blank]
+        @attribute.extend(UseDefaultOnNil) if options[:use_default_on_nil]
+        @attribute.extend(Strict)          if options[:strict]
+        @attribute.extend(LazyDefault)     if options[:lazy]
 
         @attribute.finalize if options[:finalize]
       end
diff --git a/lib/virtus/attribute/use_default_on_nil.rb b/lib/virtus/attribute/use_default_on_nil.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..173119d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/virtus/attribute/use_default_on_nil.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+module Virtus
+  class Attribute
+
+    # Attribute extension which falls back nil attributes to default value
+    #
+    module UseDefaultOnNil
+
+      # @see [Attribute#coerce]
+      #
+      # @api public
+      def coerce(input)
+        output = super
+
+        if !value_coerced?(output) && input.nil?
+          super(default_value.value)
+        else
+          output
+        end
+      end
+
+    end # UseDefaultOnNil
+
+  end # Attribute
+end # Virtus
diff --git a/lib/virtus/configuration.rb b/lib/virtus/configuration.rb
index 7e91b300..77f551eb 100644
--- a/lib/virtus/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/virtus/configuration.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ class Configuration
     # Access the nullify_blank setting for this instance
     attr_accessor :nullify_blank
 
+    # Access the use_default_on_nil setting for this instance
+    attr_accessor :use_default_on_nil
+
     # Access the required setting for this instance
     attr_accessor :required
 
@@ -30,14 +33,15 @@ class Configuration
     #
     # @api private
     def initialize(options={})
-      @finalize        = options.fetch(:finalize, true)
-      @coerce          = options.fetch(:coerce, true)
-      @strict          = options.fetch(:strict, false)
-      @nullify_blank   = options.fetch(:nullify_blank, false)
-      @required        = options.fetch(:required, true)
-      @constructor     = options.fetch(:constructor, true)
-      @mass_assignment = options.fetch(:mass_assignment, true)
-      @coercer         = Coercible::Coercer.new
+      @finalize           = options.fetch(:finalize, true)
+      @coerce             = options.fetch(:coerce, true)
+      @strict             = options.fetch(:strict, false)
+      @nullify_blank      = options.fetch(:nullify_blank, false)
+      @use_default_on_nil = options.fetch(:use_default_on_nil, false)
+      @required           = options.fetch(:required, true)
+      @constructor        = options.fetch(:constructor, true)
+      @mass_assignment    = options.fetch(:mass_assignment, true)
+      @coercer            = Coercible::Coercer.new
 
       yield self if block_given?
     end
@@ -64,6 +68,7 @@ def to_h
         :finalize           => finalize,
         :strict             => strict,
         :nullify_blank      => nullify_blank,
+        :use_default_on_nil => use_default_on_nil,
         :required           => required,
         :configured_coercer => coercer }.freeze
     end
diff --git a/spec/integration/building_module_spec.rb b/spec/integration/building_module_spec.rb
index ed492a21..362b473f 100644
--- a/spec/integration/building_module_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/building_module_spec.rb
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ module Examples
         config.nullify_blank = true
       }
 
+      DefaultOnNilModule = Virtus.model { |config|
+        config.use_default_on_nil = true
+      }
+
       class NoncoercedUser
         include NoncoercingModule
 
@@ -50,6 +54,13 @@ class BlankModel
         attribute :stuff, Hash
         attribute :happy, Boolean, :nullify_blank => false
       end
+
+      class DefaultOnNilModel
+        include DefaultOnNilModule
+
+        attribute :name, String, :default => 'foo'
+        attribute :happy, Boolean, :default => true, :use_default_on_nil => false
+      end
     end
   end
 
@@ -87,4 +98,14 @@ class BlankModel
 
     expect(model.happy).to eql('foo')
   end
+
+  specify 'including a custom module with use default on nil enabled' do
+    model = Examples::DefaultOnNilModel.new
+
+    model.name = nil
+    expect(model.name).to eql('foo')
+
+    model.happy = nil
+    expect(model.happy).to be_nil
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/unit/virtus/attribute/class_methods/build_spec.rb b/spec/unit/virtus/attribute/class_methods/build_spec.rb
index b9427ed2..56f02336 100644
--- a/spec/unit/virtus/attribute/class_methods/build_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/virtus/attribute/class_methods/build_spec.rb
@@ -86,6 +86,14 @@
     it { is_expected.to be_nullify_blank }
   end
 
+  context 'when options specify use default on nil mode' do
+    let(:options) { { :use_default_on_nil => true } }
+
+    it_behaves_like 'a valid attribute instance'
+
+    it { is_expected.to be_use_default_on_nil }
+  end
+
   context 'when type is a string' do
     let(:type) { 'Integer' }
 
diff --git a/spec/unit/virtus/attribute/coerce_spec.rb b/spec/unit/virtus/attribute/coerce_spec.rb
index a9d11906..a6808a82 100644
--- a/spec/unit/virtus/attribute/coerce_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/virtus/attribute/coerce_spec.rb
@@ -7,13 +7,20 @@
 
   let(:object)   {
     described_class.build(String,
-      :coercer => coercer, :strict => strict, :required => required, :nullify_blank => nullify_blank)
+      :coercer => coercer,
+      :strict => strict,
+      :required => required,
+      :default => default,
+      :nullify_blank => nullify_blank,
+      :use_default_on_nil => use_default_on_nil)
   }
 
-  let(:required) { true }
-  let(:nullify_blank) { false }
-  let(:input)    { 1 }
-  let(:output)   { '1' }
+  let(:required)           { true }
+  let(:default)            { nil }
+  let(:nullify_blank)      { false }
+  let(:use_default_on_nil) { false }
+  let(:input)              { 1 }
+  let(:output)             { '1' }
 
   context 'when strict mode is turned off' do
     let(:strict) { false }
@@ -126,4 +133,89 @@
       end
     end
   end
+
+  context 'when use_default_on_nil is turned on' do
+    let(:use_default_on_nil) { true }
+    let(:strict) { false }
+
+    context 'when the input is nil' do
+      let(:input) { nil }
+      let(:output) { 'coerced' }
+
+      context 'when a default is set' do
+        let(:default) { 'foo' }
+
+        it 'returns the default value if input was not coerced' do
+          mock(coercer).call(input) { input }
+          mock(coercer).success?(String, input) { false }
+          mock(coercer).call(default) { default }
+
+          expect(subject).to be(default)
+
+          expect(coercer).to have_received.call(input)
+          expect(coercer).to have_received.success?(String, input)
+          expect(coercer).to have_received.call(default)
+        end
+
+        it 'returns the output if input was coerced' do
+          mock(coercer).call(input) { output }
+          mock(coercer).success?(String, output) { true }
+
+          expect(subject).to be(output)
+
+          expect(coercer).to have_received.call(input)
+          expect(coercer).to have_received.success?(String, output)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'when a default is not set' do
+        it 'returns nil if input was not coerced' do
+          mock(coercer).call(input) { input }
+          mock(coercer).success?(String, input) { false }
+
+          expect(subject).to be_nil
+
+          expect(coercer).to have_received.call(input)
+          expect(coercer).to have_received.success?(String, input)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the input is not nil' do
+      let(:input) { 1 }
+
+      it 'does not fallback to nil even if input was not coerced' do
+        mock(coercer).call(input) { input }
+        mock(coercer).success?(String, input) { false }
+
+        expect(subject).to be(input)
+
+        expect(coercer).to have_received.call(input)
+        expect(coercer).to have_received.success?(String, input)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'when both use_default_on_nil and strict are turned on' do
+    let(:use_default_on_nil) { true }
+    let(:strict) { false }
+
+    context 'when the input is nil and a default is set' do
+      let(:input) { nil }
+      let(:default) { 'foo' }
+
+      it 'does not raise a coercion error' do
+        mock(coercer).call(input) { input }
+        mock(coercer).success?(String, input) { false }
+        mock(coercer).call(default) { default }
+
+        expect { subject }.not_to raise_error
+        expect(subject).to be(default)
+
+        expect(coercer).to have_received.call(input)
+        expect(coercer).to have_received.success?(String, input)
+        expect(coercer).to have_received.call(default)
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end