diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/node/NodePropertyValue.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/node/NodePropertyValue.java
index c6323fb201..5752f73e14 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/node/NodePropertyValue.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/node/NodePropertyValue.java
@@ -818,6 +818,16 @@ public class NodePropertyValue implements Cloneable, Serializable
         return valueType.getOrdinalNumber();
     }
     
+    /**
+     * If property value of the type <code>QName</code> is supported
+     * 
+     * @param typeQName the type qualified name
+     */
+    public static boolean isDataTypeSupported(QName typeQName)
+    {
+        return valueTypesByPropertyType.keySet().contains(typeQName);
+    }
+    
     /** the type of the property, prior to serialization persistence */
     private ValueType actualType;
     /** the type of persistence used */
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..e42fbdc5c1 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.node.NodePropertyValue;
 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 (NodePropertyValue.isDataTypeSupported(typeQName))
+            {
+                // convert to the appropriate type
+                NodePropertyValue pv = new NodePropertyValue(typeQName, strDefaultValue);
+                return pv.getValue(typeQName);
+            }
+            return strDefaultValue;
         }
         return null;
     }
diff --git a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/WorkflowFormProcessorTest.java b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/WorkflowFormProcessorTest.java
index c21a8f6c03..0b590a28d9 100644
--- a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/WorkflowFormProcessorTest.java
+++ b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/WorkflowFormProcessorTest.java
@@ -159,14 +159,14 @@ public class WorkflowFormProcessorTest extends TestCase
         String fieldName = PRIORITY_NAME.toPrefixString(namespaceService);
         List<String> fields = Arrays.asList(fieldName);
         Form form = processForm(fields);
-        checkSingleProperty(form, fieldName, "2");
+        checkSingleProperty(form, fieldName, 2);
 
         // Check Status field is added to Form, when explicitly typed as a
         // property.
         String fullPropertyName = "prop:" + fieldName;
         fields = Arrays.asList(fullPropertyName);
         form = processForm(fields);
-        checkSingleProperty(form, fieldName, "2");
+        checkSingleProperty(form, fieldName, 2);
         checkPackageActionGroups(form.getFormData());
     }
 
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ public class WorkflowFormProcessorTest extends TestCase
         String priorityField = PRIORITY_NAME.toPrefixString(namespaceService);
         List<String> fields = Arrays.asList(fakeFieldName, priorityField);
         Form form = processForm(fields);
-        checkSingleProperty(form, priorityField, "2");
+        checkSingleProperty(form, priorityField, 2);
         checkPackageActionGroups(form.getFormData());
     }
 
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ public class WorkflowFormProcessorTest extends TestCase
         FormData formData = form.getFormData();
         assertEquals(fieldData, formData.getFieldData("assoc_bpm_assignee").getValue());
         checkPackageActionGroups(formData);
-        assertEquals("2", formData.getFieldData("prop_bpm_workflowPriority").getValue());
+        assertEquals(2, formData.getFieldData("prop_bpm_workflowPriority").getValue());
     }
 
     public void testGeneratePackageItems() throws Exception