diff --git a/utoipa-gen/src/component/features.rs b/utoipa-gen/src/component/features.rs
index 6d4f0a7f..3f0a4e93 100644
--- a/utoipa-gen/src/component/features.rs
+++ b/utoipa-gen/src/component/features.rs
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ impl Feature {
 impl ToTokens for Feature {
     fn to_tokens(&self, tokens: &mut proc_macro2::TokenStream) {
         let feature = match &self {
-            Feature::Default(default) => quote! { .default(Some(#default)) },
+            Feature::Default(default) => quote! { .default(#default) },
             Feature::Example(example) => quote! { .example(Some(#example)) },
             Feature::XmlAttr(xml) => quote! { .xml(Some(#xml)) },
             Feature::Format(format) => quote! { .format(Some(#format)) },
@@ -414,17 +414,30 @@ name!(Example = "example");
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "debug", derive(Debug))]
-pub struct Default(AnyValue);
+pub struct Default(pub(crate) Option<AnyValue>);
+
+impl Default {
+    pub fn new_default_trait(struct_ident: Ident, field_ident: syn::Member) -> Self {
+        Self(Some(AnyValue::new_default_trait(struct_ident, field_ident)))
+    }
+}
 
 impl Parse for Default {
     fn parse(input: syn::parse::ParseStream, _: Ident) -> syn::Result<Self> {
-        parse_utils::parse_next(input, || AnyValue::parse_any(input)).map(Self)
+        if input.peek(syn::Token![=]) {
+            parse_utils::parse_next(input, || AnyValue::parse_any(input)).map(|any| Self(Some(any)))
+        } else {
+            Ok(Self(None))
+        }
     }
 }
 
 impl ToTokens for Default {
     fn to_tokens(&self, tokens: &mut proc_macro2::TokenStream) {
-        tokens.extend(self.0.to_token_stream())
+        match &self.0 {
+            Some(inner) => tokens.extend(quote! {Some(#inner)}),
+            None => tokens.extend(quote! {None}),
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/utoipa-gen/src/component/schema.rs b/utoipa-gen/src/component/schema.rs
index 16707190..812544cb 100644
--- a/utoipa-gen/src/component/schema.rs
+++ b/utoipa-gen/src/component/schema.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use std::borrow::Cow;
 
 use proc_macro2::{Ident, Span, TokenStream};
 use proc_macro_error::{abort, ResultExt};
-use quote::{quote, ToTokens};
+use quote::{format_ident, quote, ToTokens};
 use syn::{
     parse::Parse, punctuated::Punctuated, token::Comma, Attribute, Data, Field, Fields,
     FieldsNamed, FieldsUnnamed, GenericParam, Generics, Lifetime, LifetimeDef, Path, PathArguments,
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ impl NamedStructSchema<'_> {
     fn field_as_schema_property<R>(
         &self,
         field: &Field,
+        container_rules: &Option<SerdeContainer>,
         yield_: impl FnOnce(NamedStructFieldOptions<'_>) -> R,
     ) -> R {
         let type_tree = &mut TypeTree::from_type(&field.ty);
@@ -278,6 +279,30 @@ impl NamedStructSchema<'_> {
             .parse_features::<NamedFieldFeatures>()
             .into_inner();
 
+        let schema_default = self
+            .features
+            .as_ref()
+            .map(|features| features.iter().any(|f| matches!(f, Feature::Default(_))))
+            .unwrap_or(false);
+        let serde_default = container_rules
+            .as_ref()
+            .map(|rules| rules.default)
+            .unwrap_or(false);
+
+        if schema_default || serde_default {
+            let features_inner = field_features.get_or_insert(vec![]);
+            if !features_inner
+                .iter()
+                .any(|f| matches!(f, Feature::Default(_)))
+            {
+                let field_ident = field.ident.as_ref().unwrap().to_owned();
+                let struct_ident = format_ident!("{}", &self.struct_name);
+                features_inner.push(Feature::Default(
+                    crate::features::Default::new_default_trait(struct_ident, field_ident.into()),
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+
         let rename_field =
             pop_feature!(field_features => Feature::Rename(_)).and_then(|feature| match feature {
                 Feature::Rename(rename) => Some(Cow::Owned(rename.into_value())),
@@ -362,6 +387,7 @@ impl ToTokens for NamedStructSchema<'_> {
 
                     self.field_as_schema_property(
                         field,
+                        &container_rules,
                         |NamedStructFieldOptions {
                              property,
                              rename_field_value,
@@ -431,6 +457,7 @@ impl ToTokens for NamedStructSchema<'_> {
             for field in flatten_fields {
                 self.field_as_schema_property(
                     field,
+                    &container_rules,
                     |NamedStructFieldOptions { property, .. }| {
                         tokens.extend(quote! { .item(#property) });
                     },
@@ -502,6 +529,20 @@ impl ToTokens for UnnamedStructSchema<'_> {
                     .unwrap_or_default();
             }
 
+            if fields_len == 1 {
+                if let Some(ref mut features) = unnamed_struct_features {
+                    if pop_feature!(features => Feature::Default(crate::features::Default(None)))
+                        .is_some()
+                    {
+                        let struct_ident = format_ident!("{}", &self.struct_name);
+                        let index: syn::Index = 0.into();
+                        features.push(Feature::Default(
+                            crate::features::Default::new_default_trait(struct_ident, index.into()),
+                        ));
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
             tokens.extend(
                 ComponentSchema::new(super::ComponentSchemaProps {
                     type_tree: override_type_tree.as_ref().unwrap_or(first_part),
diff --git a/utoipa-gen/src/component/schema/features.rs b/utoipa-gen/src/component/schema/features.rs
index 117e4e2d..a92948d3 100644
--- a/utoipa-gen/src/component/schema/features.rs
+++ b/utoipa-gen/src/component/schema/features.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ impl Parse for NamedFieldStructFeatures {
             RenameAll,
             MaxProperties,
             MinProperties,
-            As
+            As,
+            Default
         )))
     }
 }
diff --git a/utoipa-gen/src/lib.rs b/utoipa-gen/src/lib.rs
index 7cb07461..8881c508 100644
--- a/utoipa-gen/src/lib.rs
+++ b/utoipa-gen/src/lib.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use proc_macro2::{Group, Ident, Punct, TokenStream as TokenStream2};
 use syn::{
     parse::{Parse, ParseStream},
     punctuated::Punctuated,
-    DeriveInput, ExprPath, ItemFn, Lit, LitStr, Token,
+    DeriveInput, ExprPath, ItemFn, Lit, LitStr, Member, Token,
 };
 
 mod component;
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ use self::{
 /// * `as = ...` Can be used to define alternative path and name for the schema what will be used in
 ///   the OpenAPI. E.g _`as = path::to::Pet`_. This would make the schema appear in the generated
 ///   OpenAPI spec as _`path.to.Pet`_.
+/// * `default` Can be used to populate default values on all fields using the struct's
+///   [`Default`](std::default::Default) implementation.
 ///
 /// # Enum Optional Configuration Options for `#[schema(...)]`
 /// * `example = ...` Can be method reference or _`json!(...)`_.
@@ -108,7 +110,9 @@ use self::{
 ///
 /// # Unnamed Field Struct Optional Configuration Options for `#[schema(...)]`
 /// * `example = ...` Can be method reference or _`json!(...)`_.
-/// * `default = ...` Can be method reference or _`json!(...)`_.
+/// * `default = ...` Can be method reference or _`json!(...)`_. If no value is specified, and the struct has
+///   only one field, the field's default value in the schema will be set from the struct's
+///   [`Default`](std::default::Default) implementation.
 /// * `format = ...` May either be variant of the [`KnownFormat`][known_format] enum, or otherwise
 ///   an open value as a string. By default the format is derived from the type of the property
 ///   according OpenApi spec.
@@ -2496,6 +2500,10 @@ impl ToTokens for ExternalDocs {
 pub(self) enum AnyValue {
     String(TokenStream2),
     Json(TokenStream2),
+    DefaultTrait {
+        struct_ident: Ident,
+        field_ident: Member,
+    },
 }
 
 impl AnyValue {
@@ -2550,6 +2558,13 @@ impl AnyValue {
             Ok(AnyValue::Json(parse_utils::parse_json_token_stream(input)?))
         }
     }
+
+    fn new_default_trait(struct_ident: Ident, field_ident: Member) -> Self {
+        Self::DefaultTrait {
+            struct_ident,
+            field_ident,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl ToTokens for AnyValue {
@@ -2559,6 +2574,12 @@ impl ToTokens for AnyValue {
                 serde_json::json!(#json)
             }),
             Self::String(string) => string.to_tokens(tokens),
+            Self::DefaultTrait {
+                struct_ident,
+                field_ident,
+            } => tokens.extend(
+                quote! {::serde_json::to_value(#struct_ident::default().#field_ident).unwrap()},
+            ),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/utoipa-gen/tests/schema_derive_test.rs b/utoipa-gen/tests/schema_derive_test.rs
index 5589f579..91c3cd87 100644
--- a/utoipa-gen/tests/schema_derive_test.rs
+++ b/utoipa-gen/tests/schema_derive_test.rs
@@ -229,6 +229,71 @@ fn derive_struct_with_custom_properties_success() {
     };
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn derive_struct_with_default_attr() {
+    let book = api_doc! {
+        #[schema(default)]
+        struct Book {
+            name: String,
+            #[schema(default = 0)]
+            id: u64,
+            year: u64,
+            hash: String,
+        }
+
+        impl Default for Book {
+            fn default() -> Self {
+                Self {
+                    name: "No name".to_string(),
+                    id: 999,
+                    year: 2020,
+                    hash: "Test hash".to_string(),
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
+    assert_value! { book =>
+        "properties.name.default" = r#""No name""#, "Book name default"
+        "properties.id.default" = r#"0"#, "Book id default"
+        "properties.year.default" = r#"2020"#, "Book year default"
+        "properties.hash.default" = r#""Test hash""#, "Book hash default"
+    };
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn derive_struct_with_serde_default_attr() {
+    let book = api_doc! {
+        #[derive(serde::Deserialize)]
+        #[serde(default)]
+        struct Book {
+            name: String,
+            #[schema(default = 0)]
+            id: u64,
+            year: u64,
+            hash: String,
+        }
+
+        impl Default for Book {
+            fn default() -> Self {
+                Self {
+                    name: "No name".to_string(),
+                    id: 999,
+                    year: 2020,
+                    hash: "Test hash".to_string(),
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
+    assert_value! { book =>
+        "properties.name.default" = r#""No name""#, "Book name default"
+        "properties.id.default" = r#"0"#, "Book id default"
+        "properties.year.default" = r#"2020"#, "Book year default"
+        "properties.hash.default" = r#""Test hash""#, "Book hash default"
+    };
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn derive_struct_with_optional_properties() {
     struct Book;
@@ -471,6 +536,43 @@ fn derive_struct_unnamed_field_vec_type_success() {
     }
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn derive_struct_unnamed_field_single_value_default_success() {
+    let point = api_doc! {
+        #[schema(default)]
+        struct Point(f32);
+
+        impl Default for Point {
+            fn default() -> Self {
+                Self(3.5)
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
+    assert_value! {point=>
+        "type" = r#""number""#, "Point type"
+        "format" = r#""float""#, "Point format"
+        "default" = r#"3.5"#, "Point default"
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn derive_struct_unnamed_field_multiple_value_default_ignored() {
+    let point = api_doc! {
+        #[schema(default)]
+        struct Point(f32, f32);
+
+        impl Default for Point {
+            fn default() -> Self {
+                Self(3.5, 6.4)
+            }
+        }
+    };
+    // Default values shouldn't be assigned as the struct is represented
+    // as an array
+    assert!(!point.to_string().contains("default"))
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn derive_struct_nested_vec_success() {
     let vecs = api_doc! {
@@ -3279,7 +3381,8 @@ fn derive_schema_with_default_struct() {
         json!({
             "properties": {
                 "field": {
-                    "type": "string"
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "default": ""
                 }
             },
             "type": "object"