diff --git a/core/modules/widgets/radio.js b/core/modules/widgets/radio.js
index 43b6e5dab..b943a25ed 100644
--- a/core/modules/widgets/radio.js
+++ b/core/modules/widgets/radio.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ RadioWidget.prototype.render = function(parent,nextSibling) {
 	this.inputDomNode = this.document.createElement("input");
 	this.inputDomNode.setAttribute("type","radio");
 	if(isChecked) {
-		this.inputDomNode.setAttribute("checked","true");
+		this.inputDomNode.checked = true;
 	}
 	if(this.isDisabled === "yes") {
 		this.inputDomNode.setAttribute("disabled",true);
@@ -62,10 +62,14 @@ RadioWidget.prototype.render = function(parent,nextSibling) {
 RadioWidget.prototype.getValue = function() {
 	var value,
 		tiddler = this.wiki.getTiddler(this.radioTitle);
-	if (this.radioIndex) {
-		value = this.wiki.extractTiddlerDataItem(this.radioTitle,this.radioIndex);
+	if(tiddler) {
+		if(this.radioIndex) {
+			value = this.wiki.extractTiddlerDataItem(this.radioTitle,this.radioIndex);
+		} else {
+			value = tiddler.getFieldString(this.radioField);
+		}
 	} else {
-		value = tiddler && tiddler.getFieldString(this.radioField);
+		value = this.radioDefault;
 	}
 	return value;
 };
@@ -101,6 +105,7 @@ RadioWidget.prototype.execute = function() {
 	this.radioIndex = this.getAttribute("index");
 	this.radioValue = this.getAttribute("value");
 	this.radioClass = this.getAttribute("class","");
+	this.radioDefault = this.getAttribute("default");
 	this.isDisabled = this.getAttribute("disabled","no");
 	this.radioActions = this.getAttribute("actions","");
 	// Make the child widgets
@@ -112,9 +117,12 @@ Selectively refreshes the widget if needed. Returns true if the widget or any of
 */
 RadioWidget.prototype.refresh = function(changedTiddlers) {
 	var changedAttributes = this.computeAttributes();
-	if(($tw.utils.count(changedAttributes) > 0) || changedTiddlers[this.radioTitle]) {
+	if(($tw.utils.count(changedAttributes) > 0)) {
 		this.refreshSelf();
 		return true;
+	} else if(changedTiddlers[this.radioTitle]) {
+		this.inputDomNode.checked = this.getValue() === this.radioValue;
+		return this.refreshChildren(changedTiddlers);
 	} else {
 		return this.refreshChildren(changedTiddlers);
 	}
diff --git a/editions/tw5.com/tiddlers/widgets/RadioWidget.tid b/editions/tw5.com/tiddlers/widgets/RadioWidget.tid
index 0b55e4e34..77ece4e28 100644
--- a/editions/tw5.com/tiddlers/widgets/RadioWidget.tid
+++ b/editions/tw5.com/tiddlers/widgets/RadioWidget.tid
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 caption: radio
 created: 20131212195353929
-modified: 20201130184330254
+modified: 20210307154753471
 tags: Widgets
 title: RadioWidget
 type: text/vnd.tiddlywiki
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ The content of the `<$radio>` widget is displayed within an HTML `<label>` eleme
 |tiddler |Title of the tiddler to manipulate (defaults to the [[current tiddler|Current Tiddler]]) |
 |field |The field of the //tiddler// bound to the radio button |
 |index|<<.from-version "5.1.14">> The index of the //tiddler// being [[DataTiddler|DataTiddlers]] bound to the radio button (takes precedence over //field//) |
+|default |<<.from-version "5.1.24">> The default value to be used for matching if the tiddler, field or index are missing |
 |value |The value for the //field// or //index// of the //tiddler// |
 |class |The CSS classes assigned to the label around the radio button <<.from-version "5.1.14">> `tc-radio` is always applied by default, as well as `tc-radio-selected` when selected |
 |actions|<<.from-version "5.1.23">> Optional string containing ActionWidgets to be triggered when the value changes. <br>The variable: ''actionValue'' is available for the actions  |