diff --git a/serde_codegen_internals/src/attr.rs b/serde_codegen_internals/src/attr.rs
index de5863fe..8abf469b 100644
--- a/serde_codegen_internals/src/attr.rs
+++ b/serde_codegen_internals/src/attr.rs
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ impl Name {
 pub struct Item {
     name: Name,
     deny_unknown_fields: bool,
+    default: bool,
     ser_bound: Option<Vec<syn::WherePredicate>>,
     de_bound: Option<Vec<syn::WherePredicate>>,
     tag: EnumTag,
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@ impl Item {
         let mut ser_name = Attr::none(cx, "rename");
         let mut de_name = Attr::none(cx, "rename");
         let mut deny_unknown_fields = BoolAttr::none(cx, "deny_unknown_fields");
+        let mut default = BoolAttr::none(cx, "default");
         let mut ser_bound = Attr::none(cx, "bound");
         let mut de_bound = Attr::none(cx, "bound");
         let mut untagged = BoolAttr::none(cx, "untagged");
@@ -163,6 +165,11 @@ impl Item {
                         deny_unknown_fields.set_true();
                     }
 
+                    // Parse `#[serde(default)]`
+                    MetaItem(Word(ref name)) if name == "default" => {
+                        default.set_true();
+                    }
+
                     // Parse `#[serde(bound="D: Serialize")]`
                     MetaItem(NameValue(ref name, ref lit)) if name == "bound" => {
                         if let Ok(where_predicates) =
@@ -281,6 +288,7 @@ impl Item {
                 deserialize: de_name.get().unwrap_or_else(|| item.ident.to_string()),
             },
             deny_unknown_fields: deny_unknown_fields.get(),
+            default: default.get(),
             ser_bound: ser_bound.get(),
             de_bound: de_bound.get(),
             tag: tag,
@@ -295,6 +303,10 @@ impl Item {
         self.deny_unknown_fields
     }
 
+    pub fn default(&self) -> bool {
+        self.default
+    }
+
     pub fn ser_bound(&self) -> Option<&[syn::WherePredicate]> {
         self.ser_bound.as_ref().map(|vec| &vec[..])
     }
diff --git a/serde_derive/src/de.rs b/serde_derive/src/de.rs
index d3f618f9..52300140 100644
--- a/serde_derive/src/de.rs
+++ b/serde_derive/src/de.rs
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ fn deserialize_seq(type_ident: &syn::Ident,
     let let_values = vars.clone().zip(fields)
         .map(|(var, field)| {
             if field.attrs.skip_deserializing() {
-                let default = expr_is_missing(&field.attrs);
+                let default = expr_is_missing(&field.attrs, false, "");
                 quote! {
                     let #var = #default;
                 }
@@ -1101,7 +1101,11 @@ fn deserialize_map(type_ident: &syn::Ident,
     let extract_values = fields_names.iter()
         .filter(|&&(field, _)| !field.attrs.skip_deserializing())
         .map(|&(field, ref name)| {
-            let missing_expr = expr_is_missing(&field.attrs);
+            // Use the ident as field name, since the user can rename the field
+            // in the attributes using `#[serde(rename = "name")]`, but we need
+            // the original (in code) name of the field.
+            let ident = field.ident.clone().expect("struct contains unnamed fields");
+            let missing_expr = expr_is_missing(&field.attrs, item_attrs.default(), ident.as_ref());
 
             quote! {
                 let #name = match #name {
@@ -1115,18 +1119,30 @@ fn deserialize_map(type_ident: &syn::Ident,
         .map(|&(field, ref name)| {
             let ident = field.ident.clone().expect("struct contains unnamed fields");
             let value = if field.attrs.skip_deserializing() {
-                expr_is_missing(&field.attrs)
+                expr_is_missing(&field.attrs, item_attrs.default(), ident.as_ref())
             } else {
                 quote!(#name)
             };
             quote!(#ident: #value)
         });
 
+    let default = if item_attrs.default() {
+        quote!(
+            let default: #struct_path = _serde::export::Default::default();
+        )
+    } else {
+        // We don't need the default value, to prevent an unused variable warning
+        // we'll leave the line empty.
+        quote!()
+    };
+
     quote! {
         #(#let_values)*
 
         #match_keys
 
+        #default
+
         #(#extract_values)*
 
         _serde::export::Ok(#struct_path { #(#result),* })
@@ -1184,7 +1200,7 @@ fn wrap_deserialize_with(type_ident: &syn::Ident,
      wrapper_ty)
 }
 
-fn expr_is_missing(attrs: &attr::Field) -> Tokens {
+fn expr_is_missing(attrs: &attr::Field, use_default: bool, field_name: &str) -> Tokens {
     match *attrs.default() {
         attr::FieldDefault::Default => {
             return quote!(_serde::export::Default::default());
@@ -1195,6 +1211,14 @@ fn expr_is_missing(attrs: &attr::Field) -> Tokens {
         attr::FieldDefault::None => { /* below */ }
     }
 
+    if use_default {
+        // Field name without the qoutes.
+        let field_name = quote::Ident::new(field_name);
+        return quote!(
+            default.#field_name
+        )
+    }
+
     let name = attrs.name().deserialize_name();
     match attrs.deserialize_with() {
         None => {
diff --git a/test_suite/tests/test_de.rs b/test_suite/tests/test_de.rs
index 6ae92129..d742d684 100644
--- a/test_suite/tests/test_de.rs
+++ b/test_suite/tests/test_de.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use std::collections::{BTreeMap, BTreeSet, HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::net;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::time::Duration;
+use std::default::Default;
 
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
@@ -40,6 +41,22 @@ struct StructDenyUnknown {
     b: i32,
 }
 
+#[derive(PartialEq, Debug, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default)]
+struct StructDefault {
+    a: i32,
+    b: String,
+}
+
+impl Default for StructDefault {
+    fn default() -> StructDefault {
+        StructDefault{
+            a: 100,
+            b: "default".to_string(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(PartialEq, Debug, Deserialize)]
 struct StructSkipAll {
     #[serde(skip_deserializing)]
@@ -728,6 +745,23 @@ declare_tests! {
             Token::StructEnd,
         ],
     }
+    test_struct_default {
+        StructDefault{ a: 50, b: "overwritten".to_string() } => &[
+            Token::StructStart("StructDefault", 1),
+                Token::StructSep,
+                Token::Str("a"),
+                Token::I32(50),
+
+                Token::StructSep,
+                Token::Str("b"),
+                Token::String("overwritten".to_string()),
+            Token::StructEnd,
+        ],
+        StructDefault{ a: 100, b: "default".to_string() } => &[
+            Token::StructStart("StructDefault", 0),
+            Token::StructEnd,
+        ],
+    }
     test_enum_unit {
         Enum::Unit => &[
             Token::EnumUnit("Enum", "Unit"),