diff --git a/lib/thor.rb b/lib/thor.rb
index 480c346ec..703ebb805 100644
--- a/lib/thor.rb
+++ b/lib/thor.rb
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ def subcommand(subcommand, subcommand_class)
 
       define_method(subcommand) do |*args|
         args, opts = Thor::Arguments.split(args)
-        invoke subcommand_class, args, opts
+        invoke subcommand_class, args, opts, :invoked_via_subcommand => true
       end
     end
 
@@ -255,8 +255,24 @@ def check_unknown_options?(config) #:nodoc:
 
       # The method responsible for dispatching given the args.
       def dispatch(meth, given_args, given_opts, config) #:nodoc:
-        meth ||= retrieve_task_name(given_args)
-        task = all_tasks[normalize_task_name(meth)]
+        # There is an edge case when dispatching from a subcommand.
+        # A problem occurs invoking the default task. This case occurs
+        # when arguments are passed and a default task is defined, and
+        # the first given_args does not match the default task.
+        # Thor use "help" by default so we skip that case.
+        # Note the call to retrieve_task_name. It's called with
+        # given_args.dup since that method calls args.shift. Then lookup
+        # the task normally. If the first item in given_args is not
+        # a task then use the default task. The given_args will be
+        # intact later since dup was used.
+        if config[:invoked_via_subcommand] && given_args.size >= 1 && default_task != "help" && given_args.first != default_task
+          meth ||= retrieve_task_name(given_args.dup)
+          task = all_tasks[normalize_task_name(meth)]
+          task ||= all_tasks[normalize_task_name(default_task)]
+        else
+          meth ||= retrieve_task_name(given_args)
+          task = all_tasks[normalize_task_name(meth)]
+        end
 
         if task
           args, opts = Thor::Options.split(given_args)
diff --git a/spec/register_spec.rb b/spec/register_spec.rb
index 8f6464308..0b05fda6a 100644
--- a/spec/register_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/register_spec.rb
@@ -54,6 +54,34 @@ def animal
   end
 end
 
+class PluginWithDefault < Thor
+  desc "say MSG", "print MSG"
+  def say(msg)
+    puts msg
+  end
+
+  default_task :say
+end
+
+class PluginWithDefaultMultipleArguments < Thor
+  desc "say MSG [MSG]", "print multiple messages"
+  def say(*args)
+    puts args
+  end
+
+  default_task :say
+end
+
+class PluginWithDefaultTaskAndDeclaredArgument < Thor
+  desc "say MSG [MSG]", "print multiple messages"
+  argument :msg
+  def say
+    puts msg
+  end
+
+  default_task :say
+end
+
 BoringVendorProvidedCLI.register(
   ExcitingPluginCLI,
   "exciting",
@@ -79,6 +107,24 @@ def animal
   "zoo [-w animal]",
   "Shows a provided animal or just zebra")
 
+BoringVendorProvidedCLI.register(
+  PluginWithDefault,
+  'say',
+  'say message',
+  'subcommands ftw')
+
+BoringVendorProvidedCLI.register(
+  PluginWithDefaultMultipleArguments,
+  'say_multiple',
+  'say message',
+  'subcommands ftw')
+
+BoringVendorProvidedCLI.register(
+  PluginWithDefaultTaskAndDeclaredArgument,
+  'say_argument',
+  'say message',
+  'subcommands ftw')
+
 describe ".register-ing a Thor subclass" do
   it "registers the plugin as a subcommand" do
     fireworks_output = capture(:stdout) { BoringVendorProvidedCLI.start(%w[exciting fireworks]) }
@@ -90,6 +136,22 @@ def animal
     expect(help_output).to include('do exciting things')
   end
 
+  it "invokes the default task correctly" do
+    output = capture(:stdout) { BoringVendorProvidedCLI.start(%w[say hello]) }
+    expect(output).to include("hello")
+  end
+
+  it "invokes the default task correctly with multiple args" do
+    output = capture(:stdout) { BoringVendorProvidedCLI.start(%w[say_multiple hello adam]) }
+    expect(output).to include("hello")
+    expect(output).to include("adam")
+  end
+
+  it "invokes the default task correctly with a declared argument" do
+    output = capture(:stdout) { BoringVendorProvidedCLI.start(%w[say_argument hello]) }
+    expect(output).to include("hello")
+  end
+
   context "when $thor_runner is false" do
     it "includes the plugin's subcommand name in subcommand's help" do
       begin