diff --git a/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_postgres.php b/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_postgres.php
index 6a5b5a5b9..a0c0eb3f5 100644
--- a/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_postgres.php
+++ b/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_postgres.php
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ class DboPostgres extends DboSource {
 								}
 
 								if (isset($default)) {
-									$colList[] = 'ALTER COLUMN '. $fieldName .'  SET DEFAULT ' . $default;
+									$colList[] = 'ALTER COLUMN '. $fieldName .'  SET DEFAULT ' . $this->value($default, $field);
 								} else {
 									$colList[] = 'ALTER COLUMN '. $fieldName .'  DROP DEFAULT';
 								}
diff --git a/cake/tests/cases/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_postgres.test.php b/cake/tests/cases/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_postgres.test.php
index 38f3a28af..a2a313dd1 100644
--- a/cake/tests/cases/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_postgres.test.php
+++ b/cake/tests/cases/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_postgres.test.php
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ class DboPostgresTest extends CakeTestCase {
 			'alter_posts' => array(
 				'id' => array('type' => 'integer', 'key' => 'primary'),
 				'author_id' => array('type' => 'integer', 'null' => true),
-				'title' => array('type' => 'string', 'null' => false),
+				'title' => array('type' => 'string', 'null' => false, 'default' => 'my title'),
 				'body' => array('type' => 'string', 'length' => 500),
 				'status' => array('type' => 'integer', 'length' => 3, 'default' => 1),
 				'created' => array('type' => 'datetime'),