diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Extension/Core/DataMapper/PropertyPathMapper.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Extension/Core/DataMapper/PropertyPathMapper.php
index ae4796e5e7..ff571d6392 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Extension/Core/DataMapper/PropertyPathMapper.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Extension/Core/DataMapper/PropertyPathMapper.php
@@ -43,11 +43,9 @@ class PropertyPathMapper implements DataMapperInterface
      */
     public function mapDataToForms($data, $forms)
     {
-        if (null === $data || array() === $data) {
-            return;
-        }
+        $empty = null === $data || array() === $data;
 
-        if (!is_array($data) && !is_object($data)) {
+        if (!$empty && !is_array($data) && !is_object($data)) {
             throw new UnexpectedTypeException($data, 'object, array or empty');
         }
 
@@ -55,8 +53,10 @@ class PropertyPathMapper implements DataMapperInterface
             $propertyPath = $form->getPropertyPath();
             $config = $form->getConfig();
 
-            if (null !== $propertyPath && $config->getMapped()) {
+            if (!$empty && null !== $propertyPath && $config->getMapped()) {
                 $form->setData($this->propertyAccessor->getValue($data, $propertyPath));
+            } else {
+                $form->setData($form->getConfig()->getData());
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Extension/Core/DataMapper/PropertyPathMapperTest.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Extension/Core/DataMapper/PropertyPathMapperTest.php
index ed6d8cb01e..faa10e2a7a 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Extension/Core/DataMapper/PropertyPathMapperTest.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Extension/Core/DataMapper/PropertyPathMapperTest.php
@@ -169,8 +169,9 @@ class PropertyPathMapperTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         $this->assertNull($form->getData());
     }
 
-    public function testMapDataToFormsIgnoresEmptyData()
+    public function testMapDataToFormsSetsDefaultDataIfPassedDataIsNull()
     {
+        $default = new \stdClass();
         $propertyPath = $this->getPropertyPath('engine');
 
         $this->propertyAccessor->expects($this->never())
@@ -179,11 +180,43 @@ class PropertyPathMapperTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         $config = new FormConfigBuilder('name', '\stdClass', $this->dispatcher);
         $config->setByReference(true);
         $config->setPropertyPath($propertyPath);
-        $form = $this->getForm($config);
+        $config->setData($default);
+
+        $form = $this->getMockBuilder('Symfony\Component\Form\Form')
+            ->setConstructorArgs(array($config))
+            ->setMethods(array('setData'))
+            ->getMock();
+
+        $form->expects($this->once())
+            ->method('setData')
+            ->with($default);
 
         $this->mapper->mapDataToForms(null, array($form));
+    }
 
-        $this->assertNull($form->getData());
+    public function testMapDataToFormsSetsDefaultDataIfPassedDataIsEmptyArray()
+    {
+        $default = new \stdClass();
+        $propertyPath = $this->getPropertyPath('engine');
+
+        $this->propertyAccessor->expects($this->never())
+            ->method('getValue');
+
+        $config = new FormConfigBuilder('name', '\stdClass', $this->dispatcher);
+        $config->setByReference(true);
+        $config->setPropertyPath($propertyPath);
+        $config->setData($default);
+
+        $form = $this->getMockBuilder('Symfony\Component\Form\Form')
+            ->setConstructorArgs(array($config))
+            ->setMethods(array('setData'))
+            ->getMock();
+
+        $form->expects($this->once())
+            ->method('setData')
+            ->with($default);
+
+        $this->mapper->mapDataToForms(array(), array($form));
     }
 
     public function testMapFormsToDataWritesBackIfNotByReference()