diff --git a/logback-classic/src/main/java/ch/qos/logback/classic/pattern/PropertyConverter.java b/logback-classic/src/main/java/ch/qos/logback/classic/pattern/PropertyConverter.java
index f70b098..4e77a54 100644
--- a/logback-classic/src/main/java/ch/qos/logback/classic/pattern/PropertyConverter.java
+++ b/logback-classic/src/main/java/ch/qos/logback/classic/pattern/PropertyConverter.java
@@ -18,30 +18,39 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import ch.qos.logback.classic.spi.ILoggingEvent;
 import ch.qos.logback.classic.spi.LoggerContextVO;
 
+import static ch.qos.logback.core.util.OptionHelper.extractDefaultReplacement;
+
 public final class PropertyConverter extends ClassicConverter {
 
-  String key;
+    private String key;
+    private String defaultValue = "";
 
-  public void start() {
-    String optStr = getFirstOption();
-    if (optStr != null) {
-      key = optStr;
-      super.start();
+    public void start() {
+        String[] keyInfo = extractDefaultReplacement(getFirstOption());
+        key = keyInfo[0];
+        if (keyInfo[1] != null) {
+            defaultValue = keyInfo[1];
+        }
+        super.start();
     }
-  }
-
-  public String convert(ILoggingEvent event) {
-    if (key == null) {
-      return "Property_HAS_NO_KEY";
-    } else {
-      LoggerContextVO lcvo = event.getLoggerContextVO();
-      Map<String, String> map = lcvo.getPropertyMap();
-      String val = map.get(key);
-      if (val != null) {
-        return val;
-      } else {
-        return System.getProperty(key);
-      }
+
+    public String convert(ILoggingEvent event) {
+        if (key == null) {
+            return "Property_HAS_NO_KEY";
+        } else {
+            LoggerContextVO lcvo = event.getLoggerContextVO();
+            Map<String, String> map = lcvo.getPropertyMap();
+            String val = map.get(key);
+            if (val != null) {
+                return val;
+            } else {
+                val = System.getProperty(key);
+                if (val != null) {
+                    return val;
+                }
+            }
+            return defaultValue;
+        }
     }
-  }
+
 }
diff --git a/logback-classic/src/test/java/ch/qos/logback/classic/pattern/PropertyConverterTest.java b/logback-classic/src/test/java/ch/qos/logback/classic/pattern/PropertyConverterTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a964595
--- /dev/null
+++ b/logback-classic/src/test/java/ch/qos/logback/classic/pattern/PropertyConverterTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+package ch.qos.logback.classic.pattern;
+
+import ch.qos.logback.classic.Level;
+import ch.qos.logback.classic.Logger;
+import ch.qos.logback.classic.LoggerContext;
+import ch.qos.logback.classic.spi.ILoggingEvent;
+import ch.qos.logback.classic.spi.LoggingEvent;
+import org.junit.After;
+import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import java.util.Arrays;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+
+public class PropertyConverterTest {
+    LoggerContext lc;
+    PropertyConverter converter;
+
+    @Before
+    public void setUp() throws Exception {
+        lc = new LoggerContext();
+        converter = new PropertyConverter();
+        converter.setOptionList(Arrays.asList("foo:-bar"));
+        converter.start();
+    }
+
+    @After
+    public void tearDown() throws Exception {
+        lc = null;
+        converter.stop();
+        converter = null;
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testDefault() {
+        ILoggingEvent le = createLoggingEvent();
+        String result = converter.convert(le);
+        assertEquals("Got the default", "bar", result);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testParam() {
+        ILoggingEvent le = createLoggingEvent();
+        le.getLoggerContextVO().getPropertyMap().put("foo", "goo");
+        String result = converter.convert(le);
+        assertEquals("Got the param", "goo", result);
+    }
+
+    private ILoggingEvent createLoggingEvent() {
+        return new LoggingEvent(this.getClass().getName(), lc
+                .getLogger(Logger.ROOT_LOGGER_NAME), Level.DEBUG, "test message", null,
+                null);
+    }
+
+
+}