diff --git a/test/test_fx.py b/test/test_fx.py
index 349941c72f86..1796ad2e87ef 100644
--- a/test/test_fx.py
+++ b/test/test_fx.py
@@ -1104,6 +1104,43 @@ def forward(self, x):
         traced = torch.fx.symbolic_trace(Foo())
         assert(all('constant' not in node.target for node in traced.graph.nodes))
 
+    def test_single_default_arg(self):
+        class M(torch.nn.Module):
+            def __init__(self):
+                super().__init__()
+
+            def forward(self, y=1):
+                return y
+
+        m = M()
+        self.checkGraphModule(m, ())
+        self.checkGraphModule(m, (3,))
+
+    def test_multiple_default_args(self):
+        class M(torch.nn.Module):
+            def __init__(self):
+                super().__init__()
+
+            def forward(self, y=1, z=2):
+                return y + z
+
+        m = M()
+        self.checkGraphModule(m, ())
+        self.checkGraphModule(m, (3,))
+        self.checkGraphModule(m, (3, 4))
+
+    def test_regular_and_default_args(self):
+        class M(torch.nn.Module):
+            def __init__(self):
+                super().__init__()
+
+            def forward(self, x, y=1):
+                return x + y
+
+        m = M()
+        self.checkGraphModule(m, (2,))
+        self.checkGraphModule(m, (2, 3))
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     run_tests()
diff --git a/torch/fx/__init__.py b/torch/fx/__init__.py
index c7fbd6fbf0ea..f3804c515612 100644
--- a/torch/fx/__init__.py
+++ b/torch/fx/__init__.py
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ def forward(self, x):
 The semantics are as follows:
 
 - `placeholder` represents a function input. The `name` attribute specifies the name this value will take on.
-  `target` is similarly the name of the argument. `args` and `kwargs` are don't-care. Placeholders correspond to
+  `target` is similarly the name of the argument. `args` holds either: 1) nothing, or 2) a single argument
+  denoting the default parameter of the function input. `kwargs` is don't-care. Placeholders correspond to
   the function parameters (e.g. `x`) in the graph printout.
 - `get_attr` retrieves a parameter from the module hierarchy. `name` is similarly the name the result of the
    fetch is assigned to. `target` is the fully-qualified name of the parameter's position in the module hierarchy.
diff --git a/torch/fx/graph.py b/torch/fx/graph.py
index 0c98ebe89447..d737a1a65629 100644
--- a/torch/fx/graph.py
+++ b/torch/fx/graph.py
@@ -344,7 +344,8 @@ def type_repr(o : Any):
             if node.op == 'placeholder':
                 assert isinstance(node.target, str)
                 maybe_type_annotation = '' if node.type is None else f' : {type_repr(node.type)}'
-                free_vars.append(f'{node.target}{maybe_type_annotation}')
+                maybe_default_arg = '' if not node.args else f' = {repr(node.args[0])}'
+                free_vars.append(f'{node.target}{maybe_type_annotation}{maybe_default_arg}')
                 raw_name = node.target.replace('*', '')
                 if raw_name != node.name:
                     body.append(f'{node.name} = {raw_name}\n')
diff --git a/torch/fx/proxy.py b/torch/fx/proxy.py
index d1672d332f14..317e039223a0 100644
--- a/torch/fx/proxy.py
+++ b/torch/fx/proxy.py
@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ def proxy(self, node: Node) -> 'Proxy':
 
     def create_proxy(self, kind: str, target: Target, args: Tuple[Any, ...], kwargs: Dict[str, Any],
                      name: Optional[str] = None, type_expr : Optional[Any] = None):
+        '''
+        Create a Node from the given arguments, then return the Node
+        wrapped in a Proxy object.
+
+        If kind = 'placeholder', then we're creating a Node that
+        represents the parameter of a function. If we need to encode
+        a default parameter, we use the `args` tuple. `args` is
+        otherwise empty for `placeholder` Nodes.
+        '''
         args_ = self.create_arg(args)
         kwargs_ = self.create_arg(kwargs)
         assert isinstance(args_, tuple)
diff --git a/torch/fx/symbolic_trace.py b/torch/fx/symbolic_trace.py
index 44f0ffba98e0..20566bb58e6e 100644
--- a/torch/fx/symbolic_trace.py
+++ b/torch/fx/symbolic_trace.py
@@ -125,8 +125,15 @@ def create_args_for_root(self, root_fn, is_module):
             next(names_iter)  # skip self
             args.append(self.root)
 
+        sig = inspect.signature(fn_for_analysis)
+
         def proxy_placeholder(name: str):
-            return self.create_proxy('placeholder', name, (), {},
+            if name[0] == '*':
+                default = ()    # type: ignore
+            else:
+                param = sig.parameters[name]
+                default = () if param.default is inspect.Parameter.empty else (param.default,)  # type: ignore
+            return self.create_proxy('placeholder', name, default, {},
                                      type_expr=fn_for_analysis.__annotations__.get(name, None))
 
         args.extend(proxy_placeholder(next(names_iter)) for _ in range(skip_arg_idx, total_args))