diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 769ab2d..ed1d734 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@
 ### Enhancements
 
 - You may now register custom template filters which make use of arguments.
+- There is now a `default` filter.
+
+    ```html+django
+    Hello {{ name|default:"World" }}
+    ```
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
diff --git a/Sources/Filters.swift b/Sources/Filters.swift
index 6a6f3bb..1574a58 100644
--- a/Sources/Filters.swift
+++ b/Sources/Filters.swift
@@ -31,3 +31,7 @@ func lowercase(_ value: Any?) -> Any? {
 
   return value
 }
+
+func defaultFilter(value: Any?, arguments: [Any?]) -> Any? {
+  return value ?? arguments.first as Any
+}
diff --git a/Sources/Namespace.swift b/Sources/Namespace.swift
index ca435d2..2b1d41e 100644
--- a/Sources/Namespace.swift
+++ b/Sources/Namespace.swift
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public class Namespace {
   }
 
   fileprivate func registerDefaultFilters() {
+    registerFilter("default", filter: defaultFilter)
     registerFilter("capitalize", filter: capitalise)
     registerFilter("uppercase", filter: uppercase)
     registerFilter("lowercase", filter: lowercase)
diff --git a/Tests/StencilTests/FilterSpec.swift b/Tests/StencilTests/FilterSpec.swift
index b88e99f..824ba80 100644
--- a/Tests/StencilTests/FilterSpec.swift
+++ b/Tests/StencilTests/FilterSpec.swift
@@ -89,4 +89,18 @@ func testFilter() {
       try expect(result) == "kyle"
     }
   }
+
+  describe("default filter") {
+    let template = Template(templateString: "Hello {{ name|default:\"World\" }}")
+
+    $0.it("shows the variable value") {
+      let result = try template.render(Context(dictionary: ["name": "Kyle"]))
+      try expect(result) == "Hello Kyle"
+    }
+
+    $0.it("shows the default value") {
+      let result = try template.render(Context(dictionary: [:]))
+      try expect(result) == "Hello World"
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/docs/builtins.rst b/docs/builtins.rst
index 45127cc..6b3bcbe 100644
--- a/docs/builtins.rst
+++ b/docs/builtins.rst
@@ -120,3 +120,13 @@ For example, `Stencil` to `stencil`.
 .. code-block:: html+django
 
     {{ "Stencil"|lowercase }}
+
+``default``
+~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+If a variable not present in the context, use given default. Otherwise, use the
+value of the variable. For example:
+
+.. code-block:: html+django
+
+    Hello {{ name|default:"World" }}