diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Asset.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Asset.pm
index ce7bc5b7a..328e9de7e 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Asset.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Asset.pm
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ use WebGUI::SQL;
 use WebGUI::TabForm;
 use WebGUI::URL;
 use WebGUI::Utility;
+our $propertyDefinitions;
+
 
 =head1 NAME
 
@@ -470,6 +472,29 @@ sub getDefault {
 }
 
 
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 getDefaultValue ( )
+
+Returns the defaultValue for the key for the className of the calling object instance.
+
+=cut
+
+sub getDefaultValue {
+	my $self = shift;
+	my $key = shift;
+	unless (exists $propertyDefinitions->{$self->getValue("className")}) { # check to see if the definitions have been merged and cached
+		my %properties;
+		foreach my $definition (@{$self->definition}) {
+			%properties = (%properties, %{$definition->{properties}});
+		}
+		our $propertyDefinitions;
+		$propertyDefinitions->{$self->getValue("className")} = \%properties;
+	}
+	return $propertyDefinitions->{$self->getValue("className")}->{$key}{defaultValue};
+}
+
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 =head2 getEditForm ( )
@@ -930,17 +955,10 @@ sub getValue {
 	my $self = shift;
 	my $key = shift;
 	if (defined $key) {
-		unless (exists $self->{_propertyDefinitions}) { # check to see if the definitions have been merged and cached
-			my %properties;
-			foreach my $definition (@{$self->definition}) {
-				%properties = (%properties, %{$definition->{properties}});
-			}
-			$self->{_propertyDefinitions} = \%properties;
-		}
 		return $session{form}{$key} if (exists $session{form}{$key});
 		my $storedValue = $self->get($key);
 		return $storedValue if (defined $storedValue);
-		return $self->{_propertyDefinitions}{$key}{defaultValue};
+		return $self->getDefaultValue($key);
 	}
 	return undef;
 }