diff --git a/core/modules/tiddler.js b/core/modules/tiddler.js
index e58d4ddf9..b0b6e6942 100644
--- a/core/modules/tiddler.js
+++ b/core/modules/tiddler.js
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ exports.isDraft = function() {
 	return this.hasField("draft.of");
 };
 
-exports.getFieldString = function(field) {
+exports.getFieldString = function(field,defaultValue) {
 	var value = this.fields[field];
 	// Check for a missing field
 	if(value === undefined || value === null) {
-		return "";
+		return defaultValue || "";
 	}
-	// Parse the field with the associated module (if any)
+	// Stringify the field with the associated tiddler field module (if any)
 	var fieldModule = $tw.Tiddler.fieldModules[field];
 	if(fieldModule && fieldModule.stringify) {
 		return fieldModule.stringify.call(this,value);
diff --git a/core/modules/widgets/radio.js b/core/modules/widgets/radio.js
index 22c9d8614..363836227 100644
--- a/core/modules/widgets/radio.js
+++ b/core/modules/widgets/radio.js
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ RadioWidget.prototype.getValue = function() {
 		tiddler = this.wiki.getTiddler(this.radioTitle);
 	if(tiddler) {
 		if(this.radioIndex) {
-			value = this.wiki.extractTiddlerDataItem(this.radioTitle,this.radioIndex);
+			value = this.wiki.extractTiddlerDataItem(this.radioTitle,this.radioIndex,this.radioDefault);
 		} else {
-			value = tiddler.getFieldString(this.radioField);
+			value = tiddler.getFieldString(this.radioField,this.radioDefault);
 		}
 	} else {
 		value = this.radioDefault;