diff --git a/maven-project/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/project/inheritance/DefaultModelInheritanceAssembler.java b/maven-project/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/project/inheritance/DefaultModelInheritanceAssembler.java
index a35dcdab19..5e9dfd290f 100644
--- a/maven-project/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/project/inheritance/DefaultModelInheritanceAssembler.java
+++ b/maven-project/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/project/inheritance/DefaultModelInheritanceAssembler.java
@@ -312,6 +312,11 @@ public class DefaultModelInheritanceAssembler
             // values
             // that have not been set by the child.
 
+            if ( childBuild.getDefaultGoal() == null )
+            {
+                childBuild.setDefaultGoal( parentBuild.getDefaultGoal() );
+            }
+
             if ( childBuild.getDirectory() == null )
             {
                 childBuild.setDirectory( parentBuild.getDirectory() );