encode · carltongibson · Aug 31, 2017 · Aug 30, 2017 · Aug 30, 2017
diff --git a/rest_framework/fields.py b/rest_framework/fields.py
@@ -93,9 +93,6 @@ def get_attribute(instance, attrs):
     Also accepts either attribute lookup on objects or dictionary lookups.
     """
     for attr in attrs:
-        if instance is None:
-            # Break out early if we get `None` at any point in a nested lookup.
-            return None
         try:
             if isinstance(instance, collections.Mapping):
                 instance = instance[attr]

diff --git a/tests/test_serializer.py b/tests/test_serializer.py
@@ -411,6 +411,19 @@ def test_default_not_used_when_in_object(self):
         serializer = self.Serializer(instance)
         assert serializer.data == {'has_default': 'def', 'has_default_callable': 'ghi', 'no_default': 'abc'}
 
+    def test_default_for_source_source(self):
+        """
+        'default="something"' should be used when a traversed attribute is missing from input.
+        """
+        class Serializer(serializers.Serializer):
+            traversed = serializers.CharField(default='x', source='traversed.attr')
+
+        assert Serializer({}).data == {'traversed': 'x'}
+        assert Serializer({'traversed': {}}).data == {'traversed': 'x'}
+        assert Serializer({'traversed': None}).data == {'traversed': 'x'}
+
+        assert Serializer({'traversed': {'attr': 'abc'}}).data == {'traversed': 'abc'}
+
 
 class TestCacheSerializerData:
     def test_cache_serializer_data(self):