diff --git a/components/editorControls/SettingControls/Pickers/Field.cs b/components/editorControls/SettingControls/Pickers/Field.cs
index 4aa88eaa2e..b0080a53d8 100644
--- a/components/editorControls/SettingControls/Pickers/Field.cs
+++ b/components/editorControls/SettingControls/Pickers/Field.cs
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ namespace umbraco.editorControls.SettingControls.Pickers
             li.Selected = true;
             ddl.Items.Insert(0, li);
 
-            ddl.SelectedValue = _val;
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(_val) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(DefaultValue))
+                ddl.SelectedValue = DefaultValue;
+            else
+                ddl.SelectedValue = _val;
 
             return ddl;
         }