diff --git a/derive/src/attr.rs b/derive/src/attr.rs
index ffc25e3..b43cac1 100644
--- a/derive/src/attr.rs
+++ b/derive/src/attr.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
-use proc_macro2::Ident;
-use syn::{Attribute, Field, LitStr, Result, Variant};
+use crate::private;
+use proc_macro2::{Ident, TokenStream};
+use quote::quote;
+use syn::{Attribute, Field, LitStr, Path, Result, Variant};
 
-/// Find the value of a #[serde(rename = "...")] attribute.
-fn attr_rename(attrs: &[Attribute]) -> Result<Option<String>> {
+/// Find the value of a #[serde(rename = "...")], #[serde(default)], and #[serde(default = "...")] attributes.
+fn attr_parse(attrs: &[Attribute]) -> Result<(Option<String>, Option<TokenStream>)> {
     let mut rename = None;
+    let mut default = None;
 
     for attr in attrs {
         if !attr.path().is_ident("serde") {
@@ -18,27 +21,49 @@ fn attr_rename(attrs: &[Attribute]) -> Result<Option<String>> {
                 }
                 rename = Some(s.value());
                 Ok(())
+            } else if meta.path.is_ident("default") {
+                if default.is_some() {
+                    return Err(meta.error("duplicate default attribute"));
+                }
+
+                if meta.input.is_empty() {
+                    default = Some(
+                        quote!(miniserde::#private::Some(::core::default::Default::default())),
+                    );
+                    return Ok(());
+                }
+
+                let lit: LitStr = meta.value()?.parse()?;
+                let path: Path = lit.parse()?;
+                default = Some(quote!(miniserde::#private::Some(#path())));
+                Ok(())
             } else {
                 Err(meta.error("unsupported attribute"))
             }
         })?;
     }
 
-    Ok(rename)
+    Ok((rename, default))
 }
 
 /// Determine the name of a field, respecting a rename attribute.
 pub fn name_of_field(field: &Field) -> Result<String> {
-    let rename = attr_rename(&field.attrs)?;
+    let (rename, _) = attr_parse(&field.attrs)?;
     Ok(rename.unwrap_or_else(|| unraw(field.ident.as_ref().unwrap())))
 }
 
 /// Determine the name of a variant, respecting a rename attribute.
 pub fn name_of_variant(var: &Variant) -> Result<String> {
-    let rename = attr_rename(&var.attrs)?;
+    let (rename, _) = attr_parse(&var.attrs)?;
     Ok(rename.unwrap_or_else(|| unraw(&var.ident)))
 }
 
+/// Determine the default of a field, respecting the default attribute.
+pub fn default_of_field(field: &Field) -> Result<TokenStream> {
+    let (_, default) = attr_parse(&field.attrs)?;
+    Ok(default.unwrap_or_else(|| quote!(miniserde::Deserialize::default())))
+}
+
 fn unraw(ident: &Ident) -> String {
     ident.to_string().trim_start_matches("r#").to_owned()
 }
diff --git a/derive/src/de.rs b/derive/src/de.rs
index 72bb515..f53f5c9 100644
--- a/derive/src/de.rs
+++ b/derive/src/de.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ pub fn derive_struct(input: &DeriveInput, fields: &FieldsNamed) -> Result<TokenS
         .iter()
         .map(attr::name_of_field)
         .collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
+    let fielddefault = fields
+        .named
+        .iter()
+        .map(attr::default_of_field)
+        .collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
 
     let wrapper_generics = bound::with_lifetime_bound(&input.generics, "'__a");
     let (wrapper_impl_generics, wrapper_ty_generics, _) = wrapper_generics.split_for_impl();
@@ -71,7 +76,7 @@ pub fn derive_struct(input: &DeriveInput, fields: &FieldsNamed) -> Result<TokenS
                 fn map(&mut self) -> miniserde::Result<miniserde::#private::Box<dyn miniserde::de::Map + '_>> {
                     Ok(miniserde::#private::Box::new(__State {
                         #(
-                            #fieldname: miniserde::Deserialize::default(),
+                            #fieldname: #fielddefault,
                         )*
                         __out: &mut self.__out,
                     }))
diff --git a/tests/test_derive.rs b/tests/test_derive.rs
index 5648896..31161b6 100644
--- a/tests/test_derive.rs
+++ b/tests/test_derive.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ struct Example {
     t2: Box<Tag>,
     t3: [Tag; 1],
     r#struct: Box<Nested>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    m1: i32,
+    #[serde(default = "m2_default")]
+    m2: i32,
+}
+
+fn m2_default() -> i32 {
+    2
 }
 
 #[derive(PartialEq, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
@@ -40,6 +48,8 @@ fn test_de() {
             y: Some(vec!["Y".to_owned(), "Y".to_owned()]),
             z: None,
         }),
+        m1: 0,
+        m2: 2,
     };
     assert_eq!(actual, expected);
 }
@@ -55,9 +65,10 @@ fn test_ser() {
             y: Some(vec!["Y".to_owned(), "Y".to_owned()]),
             z: None,
         }),
+        m1: 0,
+        m2: 2,
     };
     let actual = json::to_string(&example);
-    let expected =
-        r#"{"x":"X","t1":"A","t2":"renamedB","t3":["enum"],"struct":{"y":["Y","Y"],"z":null}}"#;
+    let expected = r#"{"x":"X","t1":"A","t2":"renamedB","t3":["enum"],"struct":{"y":["Y","Y"],"z":null},"m1":0,"m2":2}"#;
     assert_eq!(actual, expected);
 }