diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/node/PropertyFieldProcessor.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/node/PropertyFieldProcessor.java
index 08ec7bc6f3..25a30d1a60 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/node/PropertyFieldProcessor.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/node/PropertyFieldProcessor.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.alfresco.repo.dictionary.constraint.ListOfValuesConstraint;
 import org.alfresco.repo.dictionary.constraint.RegisteredConstraint;
+import org.alfresco.repo.domain.PropertyValue;
 import org.alfresco.repo.forms.Field;
 import org.alfresco.repo.forms.FieldGroup;
 import org.alfresco.repo.forms.PropertyFieldDefinition;
@@ -166,7 +167,15 @@ public class PropertyFieldProcessor extends QNameFieldProcessor<PropertyDefiniti
         PropertyDefinition propDef = data.getPropertyDefinition(name);
         if (propDef != null)
         {
-            return propDef.getDefaultValue();
+            QName typeQName = propDef.getDataType().getName();
+            String strDefaultValue = propDef.getDefaultValue();
+            if (PropertyValue.isDataTypeSupported(typeQName))
+            {
+                // convert to the appropriate type
+                PropertyValue pv = new PropertyValue(typeQName, strDefaultValue);
+                return pv.getValue(typeQName);
+            }
+            return strDefaultValue;
         }
         return null;
     }