diff --git a/django/core/management/__init__.py b/django/core/management/__init__.py
index 151b94ec45..f1192fe768 100644
--- a/django/core/management/__init__.py
+++ b/django/core/management/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import sys
-from optparse import OptionParser
+from optparse import OptionParser, NO_DEFAULT
 import imp
 
 import django
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ def call_command(name, *args, **options):
         call_command('shell', plain=True)
         call_command('sqlall', 'myapp')
     """
+    # Load the command object.
     try:
         app_name = get_commands()[name]
         if isinstance(app_name, BaseCommand):
@@ -153,7 +154,17 @@ def call_command(name, *args, **options):
             klass = load_command_class(app_name, name)
     except KeyError:
         raise CommandError, "Unknown command: %r" % name
-    return klass.execute(*args, **options)
+
+    # Grab out a list of defaults from the options. optparse does this for us
+    # when the script runs from the command line, but since call_command can 
+    # be called programatically, we need to simulate the loading and handling
+    # of defaults (see #10080 for details).
+    defaults = dict([(o.dest, o.default)
+                     for o in klass.option_list 
+                     if o.default is not NO_DEFAULT])
+    defaults.update(options)
+
+    return klass.execute(*args, **defaults)
 
 class LaxOptionParser(OptionParser):
     """
diff --git a/tests/modeltests/user_commands/management/commands/dance.py b/tests/modeltests/user_commands/management/commands/dance.py
index 5886cd1d8f..a504d486d6 100644
--- a/tests/modeltests/user_commands/management/commands/dance.py
+++ b/tests/modeltests/user_commands/management/commands/dance.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from optparse import make_option
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
 
 class Command(BaseCommand):
@@ -5,5 +6,9 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
     args = ''
     requires_model_validation = True
 
+    option_list =[
+        make_option("-s", "--style", default="Rock'n'Roll")
+    ]
+
     def handle(self, *args, **options):
-        print "I don't feel like dancing."
\ No newline at end of file
+        print "I don't feel like dancing %s." % options["style"]
diff --git a/tests/modeltests/user_commands/models.py b/tests/modeltests/user_commands/models.py
index 8dd7205f98..10ccdb8e2c 100644
--- a/tests/modeltests/user_commands/models.py
+++ b/tests/modeltests/user_commands/models.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ __test__ = {'API_TESTS': """
 >>> from django.core import management
 
 # Invoke a simple user-defined command
->>> management.call_command('dance')
-I don't feel like dancing.
+>>> management.call_command('dance', style="Jive")
+I don't feel like dancing Jive.
 
 # Invoke a command that doesn't exist
 >>> management.call_command('explode')
@@ -26,5 +26,8 @@ Traceback (most recent call last):
 ...
 CommandError: Unknown command: 'explode'
 
+# Invoke a command with default option `style`
+>>> management.call_command('dance')
+I don't feel like dancing Rock'n'Roll.
 
 """}