diff --git a/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/Security.java b/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/Security.java
index 6e624b1b6..23a337286 100644
--- a/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/Security.java
+++ b/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/Security.java
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ public class Security {
     @JoinColumn(name="COUNTRY_ID")
     private Country country;
 
+    @ManyToOne
+    private Country countryEager;
+
     public Security() {
         super();
     }
@@ -56,6 +59,14 @@ public class Security {
         this.country = c;
     }
 
+    public Country getCountryEager() {
+        return countryEager;
+    }
+
+    public void setCountryEager(Country c) {
+        this.countryEager = c;
+    }
+
     public Embed getSymbol() {
         return symbol;
     }
diff --git a/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/Security1.java b/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/Security1.java
index d90740af8..d77668893 100644
--- a/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/Security1.java
+++ b/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/Security1.java
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ public class Security1 {
     
     private Country1 country;
 
+    private Country1 countryEager;
+
     public Security1() {
         super();
     }
@@ -48,6 +50,14 @@ public class Security1 {
         this.country = c;
     }
 
+    public Country1 getCountryEager() {
+        return countryEager;
+    }
+
+    public void setCountryEager(Country1 c) {
+        this.countryEager = c;
+    }
+
     public Embed getSymbol() {
         return symbol;
     }
diff --git a/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/TestXMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java b/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/TestXMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java
index 491536395..97ccfcc1c 100644
--- a/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/TestXMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java
+++ b/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/TestXMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java
@@ -126,6 +126,45 @@ public class TestXMLPersistenceMetaDataParser extends SQLListenerTestCase {
         em.close();
 
     }
+    
+    public void testManyToOneEagerFetch() {
+        // initialize objects
+        EntityManager em = emf.createEntityManager();
+
+        long aI_sid = 148007245;
+        long aUS_sid = 2;
+
+        Security1 aI_security = new Security1(aI_sid, new Embed("XYZ"));
+        Country1 aUS_country = new Country1(aUS_sid, "USA");
+        aI_security.setCountry1(aUS_country);
+        aI_security.setCountryEager(aUS_country);
+        
+        Security aI_securityAnn = new Security(aI_sid, new Embed("XYZ"));
+        Country aUS_countryAnn = new Country(aUS_sid, "USA");
+        aI_securityAnn.setCountry(aUS_countryAnn);
+        aI_securityAnn.setCountryEager(aUS_countryAnn);
+
+        em.getTransaction().begin();
+        em.persist(aI_security);
+        em.persist(aUS_country);
+        em.getTransaction().commit();
+        em.clear();
+
+        aI_security = em.find(Security1.class, aI_sid);
+        em.clear();
+        Country1 countryEager = aI_security.getCountryEager(); 
+        assertNotNull(countryEager);
+        
+        aI_securityAnn = em.find(Security.class, aI_sid);
+        em.clear();
+        Country countryEagerAnn = aI_securityAnn.getCountryEager(); 
+        assertNotNull(countryEagerAnn);
+        
+        // Close
+        em.close();
+        
+    }
+    
 
     private void printArrayList(ArrayList aList) {
         Iterator itr = aList.iterator();
diff --git a/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/resources/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/orm.xml b/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/resources/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/orm.xml
index 5d0150d01..bf6e0eddc 100644
--- a/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/resources/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/orm.xml
+++ b/openjpa-persistence-jdbc/src/test/resources/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/orm.xml
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
             <many-to-one name="country" optional="false" fetch="LAZY">
                 <join-column name="COUNTRY_ID" />
             </many-to-one>
+            <many-to-one name="countryEager">
+            </many-to-one>
             <embedded name="symbol" />
         </attributes>
     </entity>
diff --git a/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java b/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java
index 4d84575ae..c83784925 100644
--- a/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java
+++ b/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java
@@ -1425,7 +1425,7 @@ public class XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser
     protected void parseOneToOne(FieldMetaData fmd, Attributes attrs)
         throws SAXException {
         String val = attrs.getValue("fetch");
-        if (val != null && "EAGER".equals(val)) {
+        if (val == null || "EAGER".equals(val)) {
             fmd.setInDefaultFetchGroup(true);
         }
         val = attrs.getValue("target-entity");
@@ -1444,7 +1444,7 @@ public class XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser
     protected void parseManyToOne(FieldMetaData fmd, Attributes attrs)
         throws SAXException {
         String val = attrs.getValue("fetch");
-        if (val != null && "EAGER".equals(val)) {
+        if (val == null || "EAGER".equals(val)) {
             fmd.setInDefaultFetchGroup(true);
         }
         val = attrs.getValue("target-entity");