diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 11429de66..e6845af35 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 2.4.3 () -
 
+- TW-1279 Make default.* not apply to recurring tasks.
 - TW-1578 Bash tab completion problems on first run
           (thanks to Renato Alves and Ptolemarch).
 - TW-1580 "modified" attribute no longer updated (thanks to David Patrick).
diff --git a/src/Task.cpp b/src/Task.cpp
index d60f26c11..44c58a541 100644
--- a/src/Task.cpp
+++ b/src/Task.cpp
@@ -1384,7 +1384,7 @@ void Task::validate (bool applyDefault /* = true */)
   if (!has ("modified") || get ("modified") == "")
     setAsNow ("modified");
 
-  if (applyDefault)
+  if (applyDefault && (! has ("parent") || get ("parent") == ""))
   {
     // Override with default.project, if not specified.
     if (Task::defaultProject != "" &&