diff --git a/lib/jekyll/frontmatter_defaults.rb b/lib/jekyll/frontmatter_defaults.rb
index e747143b..2b57cdc2 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/frontmatter_defaults.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/frontmatter_defaults.rb
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ module Jekyll
     end
 
     def applies_path?(scope, path)
-      return true if scope['path'].empty?
+      return true if !scope.has_key?('path') || scope['path'].empty?
 
       scope_path = Pathname.new(scope['path'])
       Pathname.new(sanitize_path(path)).ascend do |path|
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ module Jekyll
     #
     # Returns true if the set is valid and can be used in this class
     def valid?(set)
-      set.is_a?(Hash) && set['scope'].is_a?(Hash) && set['scope']['path'].is_a?(String) && set['values'].is_a?(Hash)
+      set.is_a?(Hash) && set['values'].is_a?(Hash)
     end
 
     # Determines if a new scope has precedence over an old one
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ module Jekyll
     # Returns an array of hashes
     def matching_sets(path, type)
       valid_sets.select do |set|
-        applies?(set['scope'], path, type)
+        !set.has_key?('scope') || applies?(set['scope'], path, type)
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/test/test_front_matter_defaults.rb b/test/test_front_matter_defaults.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fe0244c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_front_matter_defaults.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+require 'helper'
+
+class TestFrontMatterDefaults < Test::Unit::TestCase
+
+  context "A site with full front matter defaults" do
+    setup do
+      @site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration({
+        "source"      => source_dir,
+        "destination" => dest_dir,
+        "defaults" => [{
+          "scope" => {
+            "path" => "contacts",
+            "type" => "page"
+          },
+          "values" => {
+            "key" => "val"
+          }
+        }]
+      }))
+      @site.process
+      @affected = @site.pages.find { |page| page.relative_path == "/contacts/bar.html" }
+      @not_affected = @site.pages.find { |page| page.relative_path == "about.html" }
+    end
+
+    should "affect only the specified path and type" do
+      assert_equal @affected.data["key"], "val"
+      assert_equal @not_affected.data["key"], nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "A site with front matter defaults with no type" do
+    setup do
+      @site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration({
+        "source"      => source_dir,
+        "destination" => dest_dir,
+        "defaults" => [{
+          "scope" => {
+            "path" => "win"
+          },
+          "values" => {
+            "key" => "val"
+          }
+        }]
+      }))
+      @site.process
+      @affected = @site.posts.find { |page| page.relative_path =~ /^\/win/ }
+      @not_affected = @site.pages.find { |page| page.relative_path == "about.html" }
+    end
+
+    should "affect only the specified path and all types" do
+      assert_equal @affected.data["key"], "val"
+      assert_equal @not_affected.data["key"], nil
+    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" => "page"
+          },
+          "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({
+        "source"      => source_dir,
+        "destination" => dest_dir,
+        "defaults" => [{
+          "scope" => {
+          },
+          "values" => {
+            "key" => "val"
+          }
+        }]
+      }))
+      @site.process
+      @affected = @site.pages
+      @not_affected = @site.posts
+    end
+
+    should "affect all types and paths" do
+      assert_equal @affected.reject { |page| page.data["key"] == "val" }, []
+      assert_equal @not_affected.reject { |page| page.data["key"] == "val" }, []
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "A site with front matter defaults with no scope" do
+    setup do
+      @site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration({
+        "source"      => source_dir,
+        "destination" => dest_dir,
+        "defaults" => [{
+          "values" => {
+            "key" => "val"
+          }
+        }]
+      }))
+      @site.process
+      @affected = @site.pages
+      @not_affected = @site.posts
+    end
+
+    should "affect all types and paths" do
+      assert_equal @affected.reject { |page| page.data["key"] == "val" }, []
+      assert_equal @not_affected.reject { |page| page.data["key"] == "val" }, []
+    end
+  end
+
+end