diff --git a/scrapy/contrib_exp/djangoitem.py b/scrapy/contrib_exp/djangoitem.py
index 1abe98bfd..571dace5c 100644
--- a/scrapy/contrib_exp/djangoitem.py
+++ b/scrapy/contrib_exp/djangoitem.py
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ class DjangoItem(Item):
     django_model = None
 
     def save(self, commit=True):
-        modelargs = dict((f, self.get(f, None)) for f in self._model_fields)
+        modelargs = dict((k, self.get(k)) for k in self._values
+                         if k in self._model_fields)
         model = self.django_model(**modelargs)
         if commit:
             model.save()
diff --git a/scrapy/tests/test_djangoitem/__init__.py b/scrapy/tests/test_djangoitem/__init__.py
index 46ce4a012..e3ffb176f 100644
--- a/scrapy/tests/test_djangoitem/__init__.py
+++ b/scrapy/tests/test_djangoitem/__init__.py
@@ -78,3 +78,7 @@ class DjangoItemTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(person.name, 'John')
 
+    def test_default_field_values(self):
+        i = BasePersonItem()
+        person = i.save(commit=False)
+        self.assertEqual(person.name, 'Robot')
diff --git a/scrapy/tests/test_djangoitem/models.py b/scrapy/tests/test_djangoitem/models.py
index d2098632a..2beaee752 100644
--- a/scrapy/tests/test_djangoitem/models.py
+++ b/scrapy/tests/test_djangoitem/models.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from django.db import models
 
 
 class Person(models.Model):
-    name = models.CharField(max_length=255)
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=255, default='Robot')
     age = models.IntegerField()
 
     class Meta: