diff --git a/maven-plugin-tools/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/generator/PluginDescriptorGenerator.java b/maven-plugin-tools/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/generator/PluginDescriptorGenerator.java
index 4c87187ba7..76722dbbf1 100644
--- a/maven-plugin-tools/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/generator/PluginDescriptorGenerator.java
+++ b/maven-plugin-tools/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/generator/PluginDescriptorGenerator.java
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ public class PluginDescriptorGenerator
 
             element( w, "description", parameter.getDescription() );
 
-            element( w, "defaultValue", parameter.getDescription() );
+            element( w, "defaultValue", parameter.getDefaultValue() );
 
             w.endElement();
         }