diff --git a/json/json-derivation/src/main/java/io/sphere/json/annotations/JSONTypeHintField.java b/json/json-derivation/src/main/java/io/sphere/json/annotations/JSONTypeHintField.java
index 2af2f215..8fcd7797 100644
--- a/json/json-derivation/src/main/java/io/sphere/json/annotations/JSONTypeHintField.java
+++ b/json/json-derivation/src/main/java/io/sphere/json/annotations/JSONTypeHintField.java
@@ -13,4 +13,5 @@
 @Target({TYPE})
 public @interface JSONTypeHintField {
     String value() default "type";
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+    String defaultType() default "";
+}
diff --git a/json/json-derivation/src/main/scala/io/sphere/json/generic/package.fmpp.scala b/json/json-derivation/src/main/scala/io/sphere/json/generic/package.fmpp.scala
index d50e7afc..9980f7e8 100644
--- a/json/json-derivation/src/main/scala/io/sphere/json/generic/package.fmpp.scala
+++ b/json/json-derivation/src/main/scala/io/sphere/json/generic/package.fmpp.scala
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ package object generic extends Logging {
 
     val fieldWithJSONTypeHint = clazz.getAnnotation(classOf[JSONTypeHintField])
     val typeField = if (fieldWithJSONTypeHint != null) fieldWithJSONTypeHint.value() else defaultTypeFieldName
+    val defaultType = if (fieldWithJSONTypeHint != null) fieldWithJSONTypeHint.defaultType() else ""
 
     new FromJSON[T] with TypeSelectorFromJSONContainer {
       override def typeSelectors: List[TypeSelectorFromJSON[_]] = allSelectors
@@ -384,6 +385,10 @@ package object generic extends Logging {
               case Some(ts) => ts.read(o).asInstanceOf[ValidatedNel[JSONError, T]]
               case None => jsonParseError("Invalid type value '" + t + "' in '%s'".format(compactJson(o)))
             }
+            case None if defaultType.nonEmpty => readMap.get(defaultType) match {
+              case Some(ts) => ts.read(o).asInstanceOf[ValidatedNel[JSONError, T]]
+              case None => jsonParseError("Invalid default type value '" + defaultType + "' in '%s'".format(compactJson(o)))
+            }
             case None => jsonParseError("Missing type field '" + typeField + "' in '%s'".format(compactJson(o)))
           }
         case _ => jsonParseError("JSON object expected.")
diff --git a/json/json-derivation/src/test/scala/io/sphere/json/generic/JsonTypeHintDefaultsSpec.scala b/json/json-derivation/src/test/scala/io/sphere/json/generic/JsonTypeHintDefaultsSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5fca71d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/json/json-derivation/src/test/scala/io/sphere/json/generic/JsonTypeHintDefaultsSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package io.sphere.json.generic
+
+import cats.data.Validated.Valid
+import io.sphere.json._
+import io.sphere.json.generic.JsonTypeHintDefaultsSpec._
+import org.json4s._
+import org.scalatest.matchers.must.Matchers
+import org.scalatest.wordspec.AnyWordSpec
+
+class JsonTypeHintDefaultsSpec extends AnyWordSpec with Matchers {
+
+  "JSONTypeHintField default value" must {
+
+    "fallback to default implementation when discriminator field is missing" in {
+      val json = """{ "addressKey": "address" }"""
+      getFromJSON[WithDefaultTypeField](json) must be(MissingHint("address"))
+      getFromJSON[WithOverridenHintField](json) must be(MissingHint2("address"))
+    }
+
+    "test only for default implementation when discriminator field is missing" in {
+      val json = """{ "shippingKey": "wrong field" }"""
+      a[JSONException] must be thrownBy getFromJSON[WithDefaultTypeField](json)
+      a[JSONException] must be thrownBy getFromJSON[WithOverridenHintField](json)
+    }
+
+    "ignore default type when discriminator is provided" in {
+      getFromJSON[WithDefaultTypeField](
+        """
+          {
+            "type": "MissingHint",
+            "addressKey": "address"
+          }
+        """.stripMargin) must be(MissingHint("address"))
+      getFromJSON[WithOverridenHintField](
+        """
+          {
+            "version": "old",
+            "addressKey": "address"
+          }
+        """.stripMargin) must be(MissingHint2("address"))
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+object JsonTypeHintDefaultsSpec {
+  @JSONTypeHintField(value = "type", defaultType = "MissingHint")
+  sealed trait WithDefaultTypeField
+  case class MissingHint(addressKey: String) extends WithDefaultTypeField
+  case class WithHint(shippingKey: String) extends WithDefaultTypeField
+  object WithDefaultTypeField {
+    implicit val json: JSON[WithDefaultTypeField] = deriveJSON[WithDefaultTypeField]
+  }
+
+
+  @JSONTypeHintField(value = "version", defaultType = "old")
+  sealed trait WithOverridenHintField
+  @JSONTypeHint("old")
+  case class MissingHint2(addressKey: String) extends WithOverridenHintField
+  @JSONTypeHint("new")
+  case class WithHint2(shippingKey: String) extends WithOverridenHintField
+  object WithOverridenHintField {
+    implicit val json: JSON[WithOverridenHintField] = deriveJSON[WithOverridenHintField]
+  }
+}