diff --git a/django/db/backends/__init__.py b/django/db/backends/__init__.py
index 8d3c09ab1a..6274d5bc55 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/__init__.py
@@ -654,6 +654,12 @@ class BaseDatabaseFeatures(object):
     # supported by the Python driver
     supports_paramstyle_pyformat = True
 
+    # Does the backend require literal defaults, rather than parameterised ones?
+    requires_literal_defaults = False
+
+    # Does the backend require a connection reset after each material schema change?
+    connection_persists_old_columns = False
+
     def __init__(self, connection):
         self.connection = connection
 
diff --git a/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py b/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py
index e6435a9e96..a363c09001 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py
@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ class DatabaseFeatures(BaseDatabaseFeatures):
     supports_combined_alters = False
     max_index_name_length = 30
     nulls_order_largest = True
+    requires_literal_defaults = True
+    connection_persists_old_columns = True
 
 
 class DatabaseOperations(BaseDatabaseOperations):
diff --git a/django/db/backends/oracle/schema.py b/django/db/backends/oracle/schema.py
index c78294cad5..18d67b254f 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/oracle/schema.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/oracle/schema.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import copy
+import datetime
+from django.utils import six
 from django.db.backends.schema import BaseDatabaseSchemaEditor
 from django.db.utils import DatabaseError
 
@@ -89,3 +91,13 @@ class DatabaseSchemaEditor(BaseDatabaseSchemaEditor):
         """
         suffix = hex(hash(for_name)).upper()[1:]
         return self.normalize_name(for_name + "_" + suffix)
+
+    def prepare_default(self, value):
+        if isinstance(value, (datetime.date, datetime.time, datetime.datetime)):
+            return "'%s'" % value
+        elif isinstance(value, six.string_types):
+            return repr(value)
+        elif isinstance(value, bool):
+            return "1" if value else "0"
+        else:
+            return str(value)
diff --git a/django/db/backends/schema.py b/django/db/backends/schema.py
index 7beae7417a..64098499f6 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/schema.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/schema.py
@@ -116,8 +116,14 @@ class BaseDatabaseSchemaEditor(object):
         # If we were told to include a default value, do so
         default_value = self.effective_default(field)
         if include_default and default_value is not None:
-            sql += " DEFAULT %s"
-            params += [default_value]
+            if self.connection.features.requires_literal_defaults:
+                # Some databases can't take defaults as a parameter (oracle)
+                # If this is the case, the individual schema backend should
+                # implement prepare_default
+                sql += " DEFAULT %s" % self.prepare_default(default_value)
+            else:
+                sql += " DEFAULT %s"
+                params += [default_value]
         # Oracle treats the empty string ('') as null, so coerce the null
         # option whenever '' is a possible value.
         if (field.empty_strings_allowed and not field.primary_key and
@@ -135,6 +141,12 @@ class BaseDatabaseSchemaEditor(object):
         # Return the sql
         return sql, params
 
+    def prepare_default(self, value):
+        """
+        Only used for backends which have requires_literal_defaults feature
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
     def effective_default(self, field):
         """
         Returns a field's effective database default value
@@ -385,6 +397,9 @@ class BaseDatabaseSchemaEditor(object):
                     "to_column": self.quote_name(to_column),
                 }
             )
+        # Reset connection if required
+        if self.connection.features.connection_persists_old_columns:
+            self.connection.close()
 
     def remove_field(self, model, field):
         """
@@ -405,6 +420,9 @@ class BaseDatabaseSchemaEditor(object):
             "column": self.quote_name(field.column),
         }
         self.execute(sql)
+        # Reset connection if required
+        if self.connection.features.connection_persists_old_columns:
+            self.connection.close()
 
     def alter_field(self, model, old_field, new_field, strict=False):
         """
@@ -523,13 +541,25 @@ class BaseDatabaseSchemaEditor(object):
                     [],
                 ))
             else:
-                actions.append((
-                    self.sql_alter_column_default % {
-                        "column": self.quote_name(new_field.column),
-                        "default": "%s",
-                    },
-                    [new_default],
-                ))
+                if self.connection.features.requires_literal_defaults:
+                    # Some databases can't take defaults as a parameter (oracle)
+                    # If this is the case, the individual schema backend should
+                    # implement prepare_default
+                    actions.append((
+                        self.sql_alter_column_default % {
+                            "column": self.quote_name(new_field.column),
+                            "default": self.prepare_default(new_default),
+                        },
+                        [],
+                    ))
+                else:
+                    actions.append((
+                        self.sql_alter_column_default % {
+                            "column": self.quote_name(new_field.column),
+                            "default": "%s",
+                        },
+                        [new_default],
+                    ))
         # Nullability change?
         if old_field.null != new_field.null:
             if new_field.null:
@@ -628,6 +658,9 @@ class BaseDatabaseSchemaEditor(object):
                     "check": new_db_params['check'],
                 }
             )
+        # Reset connection if required
+        if self.connection.features.connection_persists_old_columns:
+            self.connection.close()
 
     def _alter_many_to_many(self, model, old_field, new_field, strict):
         """