diff --git a/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb b/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
index 8977ed94..8c8a14d0 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
@@ -128,12 +128,12 @@ module Jekyll
     #
     # Returns the type of self.
     def type
-      if is_a?(Post)
-        :post
+      if is_a?(Draft)
+        :drafts
+      elsif is_a?(Post)
+        :posts
       elsif is_a?(Page)
-        :page
-      elsif is_a?(Draft)
-        :draft
+        :pages
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/deprecator.rb b/lib/jekyll/deprecator.rb
index 031444c5..8e4daf9c 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/deprecator.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/deprecator.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 module Jekyll
   module Deprecator
-    def self.process(args)
+    extend self
+
+    def process(args)
       no_subcommand(args)
       arg_is_present? args, "--server", "The --server command has been replaced by the \
                           'serve' subcommand."
@@ -16,24 +18,29 @@ module Jekyll
       arg_is_present? args, "--url", "The 'url' setting can only be set in your config files."
     end
 
-    def self.no_subcommand(args)
+    def no_subcommand(args)
       if args.size > 0 && args.first =~ /^--/ && !%w[--help --version].include?(args.first)
         deprecation_message "Jekyll now uses subcommands instead of just \
                             switches. Run `jekyll --help' to find out more."
       end
     end
 
-    def self.arg_is_present?(args, deprecated_argument, message)
+    def arg_is_present?(args, deprecated_argument, message)
       if args.include?(deprecated_argument)
         deprecation_message(message)
       end
     end
 
-    def self.deprecation_message(message)
+    def deprecation_message(message)
       Jekyll.logger.error "Deprecation:", message
     end
 
-    def self.gracefully_require(gem_name)
+    def defaults_deprecate_type(old, current)
+      Jekyll.logger.warn "Defaults:", "The '#{old}' type has become '#{current}'."
+      Jekyll.logger.warn "Defaults:", "Please update your front-matter defaults to use 'type: #{current}'."
+    end
+
+    def gracefully_require(gem_name)
       Array(gem_name).each do |name|
         begin
           require name
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/frontmatter_defaults.rb b/lib/jekyll/frontmatter_defaults.rb
index 19472106..8355fa95 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/frontmatter_defaults.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/frontmatter_defaults.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,26 @@ module Jekyll
       @site = site
     end
 
+    def update_deprecated_types(set)
+      return set unless set.key?('scope') && set['scope'].key?('type')
+
+      set['scope']['type'] = case set['scope']['type']
+      when 'page'
+        Deprecator.defaults_deprecate_type('page', 'pages')
+        'pages'
+      when 'post'
+        Deprecator.defaults_deprecate_type('post', 'posts')
+        'posts'
+      when 'draft'
+        Deprecator.defaults_deprecate_type('draft', 'drafts')
+        'drafts'
+      else
+        set['scope']['type']
+      end
+
+      set
+    end
+
     # Finds a default value for a given setting, filtered by path and type
     #
     # path - the path (relative to the source) of the page, post or :draft the default is used in
@@ -73,8 +93,19 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
+    # Determines whether the scope applies to type.
+    # The scope applies to the type if:
+    #   1. no 'type' is specified
+    #   2. the 'type' in the scope is the same as the type asked about
+    #
+    # scope - the Hash defaults set being asked about application
+    # type  - the type of the document being processed / asked about
+    #         its defaults.
+    #
+    # Returns true if either of the above conditions are satisfied,
+    #   otherwise returns false
     def applies_type?(scope, type)
-      !scope.key?('type') || scope['type'] == type.to_s
+      !scope.key?('type') || scope['type'].eql?(type.to_s)
     end
 
     # Checks if a given set of default values is valid
@@ -126,12 +157,15 @@ module Jekyll
       sets = @site.config['defaults']
       return [] unless sets.is_a?(Array)
 
-      sets.select do |set|
-        unless valid?(set)
-          Jekyll.logger.warn "Default:", "An invalid default set was found"
+      sets.map do |set|
+        if valid?(set)
+          update_deprecated_types(set)
+        else
+          Jekyll.logger.warn "Defaults:", "An invalid front-matter default set was found:"
+          Jekyll.logger.warn "#{set}"
+          nil
         end
-        valid?(set)
-      end
+      end.compact
     end
 
     # Sanitizes the given path by removing a leading and addding a trailing slash
diff --git a/site/_docs/configuration.md b/site/_docs/configuration.md
index cbee3ea6..f9b29cdd 100644
--- a/site/_docs/configuration.md
+++ b/site/_docs/configuration.md
@@ -304,13 +304,13 @@ defaults:
   -
     scope:
       path: "" # an empty string here means all files in the project
-      type: "post"
+      type: "posts"
     values:
       layout: "default"
 {% endhighlight %}
 
-Now, this will only set the layout for files where the type is `post`.
-The different types that are available to you are `page`, `post`, `draft` or any collection in your site. While `type` is optional, you must specify a value for `path` when creating a `scope/values` pair.
+Now, this will only set the layout for files where the type is `posts`.
+The different types that are available to you are `pages`, `posts`, `drafts` or any collection in your site. While `type` is optional, you must specify a value for `path` when creating a `scope/values` pair.
 
 As mentioned earlier, you can set multiple scope/values pairs for `defaults`.
 
@@ -319,17 +319,16 @@ defaults:
   -
     scope:
       path: ""
-      type: "post"
+      type: "posts"
     values:
       layout: "my-site"
   -
     scope:
       path: "projects"
-      type: "page"
+      type: "pages"
     values:
       layout: "project" # overrides previous default layout
       author: "Mr. Hyde"
-      category: "project"
 {% endhighlight %}
 
 With these defaults, all posts would use the `my-site` layout. Any html files that exist in the `projects/` folder will use the `project` layout, if it exists. Those files will also have the `page.author` [liquid variable](../variables/) set to `Mr. Hyde` as well as have the category for the page set to `project`.
@@ -343,7 +342,7 @@ defaults:
   -
     scope:
       path: ""
-      type: "my_collection" # a collection in your site
+      type: "my_collection" # a collection in your site, in plural form
     values:
       layout: "default"
 {% endhighlight %}
@@ -365,7 +364,7 @@ defaults:
   -
     scope:
       path: "projects"
-      type: "page"
+      type: "pages"
     values:
       layout: "project"
       author: "Mr. Hyde"
diff --git a/test/test_front_matter_defaults.rb b/test/test_front_matter_defaults.rb
index fe0244c8..2c793095 100644
--- a/test/test_front_matter_defaults.rb
+++ b/test/test_front_matter_defaults.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class TestFrontMatterDefaults < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
   end
 
-  context "A site with front matter defaults with no path" do
+  context "A site with front matter defaults with no path and a deprecated type" do
     setup do
       @site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration({
         "source"      => source_dir,
@@ -78,6 +78,31 @@ class TestFrontMatterDefaults < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  context "A site with front matter defaults with no path" do
+    setup do
+      @site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration({
+        "source"      => source_dir,
+        "destination" => dest_dir,
+        "defaults" => [{
+          "scope" => {
+            "type" => "pages"
+          },
+          "values" => {
+            "key" => "val"
+          }
+        }]
+      }))
+      @site.process
+      @affected = @site.pages
+      @not_affected = @site.posts
+    end
+
+    should "affect only the specified type and all paths" do
+      assert_equal @affected.reject { |page| page.data["key"] == "val" }, []
+      assert_equal @not_affected.reject { |page| page.data["key"] == "val" }, @not_affected
+    end
+  end
+
   context "A site with front matter defaults with no path or type" do
     setup do
       @site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration({