diff --git a/src/Perl6/Actions.nqp b/src/Perl6/Actions.nqp
index 659b0d1a11e..5d73103dcb8 100644
--- a/src/Perl6/Actions.nqp
+++ b/src/Perl6/Actions.nqp
@@ -8738,7 +8738,8 @@ class Perl6::Actions is HLL::Actions does STDActions {
                             $var.default(QAST::SVal.new( :value('') ));
                         }
                         else {
-                            $var.default(QAST::WVal.new( :value($nomtype) ));
+                            $var.default: QAST::WVal.new: value =>
+                              nqp::ifnull($coerce_to, $nomtype);
                         }
                     }
                 }