diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 75bfe7d56..5baa3e5ce 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ Nu adheres closely to a set of goals that make up its design philosophy. As feat
 | append row-data | Append a row to the end of the table |
 | compact ...columns | Remove rows where given columns are empty |
 | count | Show the total number of rows |
+| default column row-data | Sets a default row's column if missing |
 | edit column-or-column-path value | Edit an existing column to have a new value |
 | embed column | Creates a new table of one column with the given name, and places the current table inside of it |
 | first amount | Show only the first number of rows |
diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 0354b642e..64d562f97 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ pub async fn cli() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
             per_item_command(Echo),
             whole_stream_command(Config),
             whole_stream_command(Compact),
+            whole_stream_command(Default),
             whole_stream_command(SkipWhile),
             per_item_command(Enter),
             per_item_command(Help),
diff --git a/src/commands.rs b/src/commands.rs
index 0d8c0c898..705deb1d5 100644
--- a/src/commands.rs
+++ b/src/commands.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ pub(crate) mod count;
 pub(crate) mod cp;
 pub(crate) mod date;
 pub(crate) mod debug;
+pub(crate) mod default;
 pub(crate) mod echo;
 pub(crate) mod enter;
 pub(crate) mod env;
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ pub(crate) use count::Count;
 pub(crate) use cp::Cpy;
 pub(crate) use date::Date;
 pub(crate) use debug::Debug;
+pub(crate) use default::Default;
 pub(crate) use echo::Echo;
 pub(crate) use enter::Enter;
 pub(crate) use env::Env;
diff --git a/src/commands/compact.rs b/src/commands/compact.rs
index be18b8ce4..4660e88ad 100644
--- a/src/commands/compact.rs
+++ b/src/commands/compact.rs
@@ -37,13 +37,19 @@ pub fn compact(
     CompactArgs { rest: columns }: CompactArgs,
     RunnableContext { input, .. }: RunnableContext,
 ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
-    let objects = input.values.take_while(move |item| {
+    let objects = input.values.filter(move |item| {
         let keep = if columns.is_empty() {
             item.is_some()
         } else {
-            columns
-                .iter()
-                .all(|field| item.get_data(field).borrow().is_some())
+            match item {
+                Tagged {
+                    item: Value::Row(ref r),
+                    ..
+                } => columns
+                    .iter()
+                    .all(|field| r.get_data(field).borrow().is_some()),
+                _ => false,
+            }
         };
 
         futures::future::ready(keep)
diff --git a/src/commands/default.rs b/src/commands/default.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..52d33e463
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/default.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+use crate::commands::WholeStreamCommand;
+use crate::errors::ShellError;
+use crate::parser::CommandRegistry;
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+#[derive(Deserialize)]
+struct DefaultArgs {
+    column: Tagged<String>,
+    value: Tagged<Value>,
+}
+
+pub struct Default;
+
+impl WholeStreamCommand for Default {
+    fn name(&self) -> &str {
+        "default"
+    }
+
+    fn signature(&self) -> Signature {
+        Signature::build("default")
+            .required("column name", SyntaxShape::String, "the name of the column")
+            .required(
+                "column value",
+                SyntaxShape::Any,
+                "the value of the column to default",
+            )
+    }
+
+    fn usage(&self) -> &str {
+        "Sets a default row's column if missing."
+    }
+
+    fn run(
+        &self,
+        args: CommandArgs,
+        registry: &CommandRegistry,
+    ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+        args.process(registry, default)?.run()
+    }
+}
+
+fn default(
+    DefaultArgs { column, value }: DefaultArgs,
+    RunnableContext { input, .. }: RunnableContext,
+) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+    let stream = input
+        .values
+        .map(move |item| {
+            let mut result = VecDeque::new();
+
+            let should_add = match item {
+                Tagged {
+                    item: Value::Row(ref r),
+                    ..
+                } => r.get_data(&column.item).borrow().is_none(),
+                _ => false,
+            };
+
+            if should_add {
+                match item.insert_data_at_path(&column.item, value.item.clone()) {
+                    Some(new_value) => result.push_back(ReturnSuccess::value(new_value)),
+                    None => result.push_back(ReturnSuccess::value(item)),
+                }
+            } else {
+                result.push_back(ReturnSuccess::value(item));
+            }
+            result
+        })
+        .flatten();
+
+    Ok(stream.to_output_stream())
+}
diff --git a/tests/commands_test.rs b/tests/commands_test.rs
index 646cf57cb..59621539d 100644
--- a/tests/commands_test.rs
+++ b/tests/commands_test.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,38 @@ mod helpers;
 use helpers as h;
 use helpers::{Playground, Stub::*};
 
+#[test]
+fn default_row_data_if_column_missing() {
+    Playground::setup("default_test_1", |dirs, sandbox| {
+        sandbox.with_files(vec![FileWithContentToBeTrimmed(
+            "los_tres_amigos.json",
+            r#"
+                {
+                    "amigos": [
+                        {"name":   "Yehuda"},
+                        {"name": "Jonathan", "rusty_luck": 0},
+                        {"name":   "Andres", "rusty_luck": 0},
+                        {"name":"GorbyPuff"}
+                    ]
+                }
+            "#,
+        )]);
+
+        let actual = nu!(
+            cwd: dirs.test(), h::pipeline(
+            r#"
+                open los_tres_amigos.json
+                | get amigos
+                | default rusty_luck 1
+                | get rusty_luck
+                | sum
+                | echo $it
+            "#
+        ));
+
+        assert_eq!(actual, "2");
+    });
+}
 #[test]
 fn compact_rows_where_given_column_is_empty() {
     Playground::setup("compact_test_1", |dirs, sandbox| {