diff --git a/traits/tests/test_tuple.py b/traits/tests/test_tuple.py
index 20609cdf8..3ffea8e2a 100644
--- a/traits/tests/test_tuple.py
+++ b/traits/tests/test_tuple.py
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
 """
 import unittest
 
-from traits.api import BaseInt, Either, HasTraits, Int, Tuple
+from traits.api import (
+    BaseInt, Either, HasTraits, Int, List, Str, TraitError, Tuple)
 from traits.tests.tuple_test_mixin import TupleTestMixin
 
 
@@ -45,3 +46,30 @@ class A(HasTraits):
 
         with self.assertRaises(ZeroDivisionError):
             a.bar = (3, 5)
+
+    def test_non_constant_defaults(self):
+        class A(HasTraits):
+            foo = Tuple(List(Int),)
+
+        a = A()
+        a.foo[0].append(35)
+        self.assertEqual(a.foo[0], [35])
+
+        # The inner list should be being validated.
+        with self.assertRaises(TraitError):
+            a.foo[0].append(3.5)
+
+        # The inner list should not be shared between instances.
+        b = A()
+        self.assertEqual(b.foo[0], [])
+
+    def test_constant_defaults(self):
+        # Exercise the code path where all child traits have a constant
+        # default type.
+        class A(HasTraits):
+            foo = Tuple(Int, Tuple(Str, Int))
+
+        a = A()
+        b = A()
+        self.assertEqual(a.foo, (0, ("", 0)))
+        self.assertIs(a.foo, b.foo)
diff --git a/traits/trait_types.py b/traits/trait_types.py
index 8d1d74f08..4583a73df 100644
--- a/traits/trait_types.py
+++ b/traits/trait_types.py
@@ -2283,16 +2283,41 @@ def __init__(self, *types, **metadata):
             if len(types) == 0:
                 types = [Trait(element) for element in default_value]
 
-        self.types = tuple([trait_from(type) for type in types])
+        self.types = tuple(trait_from(type) for type in types)
         self.init_fast_validate(ValidateTrait.tuple, self.types)
 
         if default_value is None:
-            default_value = tuple(
-                [type.default_value()[1] for type in self.types]
+            # Optimisation: if all child traits have a constant default value,
+            # we can use a constant default value too. Otherwise the default
+            # needs to be computed dynamically.
+            child_defaults = []
+            child_default_types = []
+            for child_trait in self.types:
+                child_default_type, child_default = child_trait.default_value()
+
+                child_default_types.append(child_default_type)
+                child_defaults.append(child_default)
+
+            constant_default = all(
+                dvt == DefaultValue.constant for dvt in child_default_types
             )
+            if constant_default:
+                self.default_value_type = DefaultValue.constant
+                default_value = tuple(child_defaults)
+            else:
+                self.default_value_type = DefaultValue.callable
+                default_value = self._get_default_value
 
         super().__init__(default_value, **metadata)
 
+    def _get_default_value(self, object):
+        # Dynamic default, used when at least one of the child traits requires
+        # a dynamic default.
+        return tuple(
+            inner_trait.default_value_for(object, "<inner_trait>")
+            for inner_trait in self.types
+        )
+
     def init_fast_validate(self, *args):
         """ Saves the validation parameters.
         """