diff --git a/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigFileApplicationListener.java b/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigFileApplicationListener.java
index bf45646b26..3aaad79a91 100644
--- a/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigFileApplicationListener.java
+++ b/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigFileApplicationListener.java
@@ -152,12 +152,7 @@ public class ConfigFileApplicationListener implements
 			ResourceLoader resourceLoader) {
 		RandomValuePropertySource.addToEnvironment(environment);
 		try {
-			PropertySource<?> defaultProperties = environment.getPropertySources()
-					.remove(DEFAULT_PROPERTIES);
 			new Loader(environment, resourceLoader).load();
-			if (defaultProperties != null) {
-				environment.getPropertySources().addLast(defaultProperties);
-			}
 		}
 		catch (IOException ex) {
 			throw new IllegalStateException("Unable to load configuration files", ex);
@@ -456,6 +451,7 @@ public class ConfigFileApplicationListener implements
 			for (PropertySource<?> item : sources) {
 				reorderedSources.add(item);
 			}
+			// Maybe we should add before the DEFAULT_PROPERTIES if it exists?
 			this.environment.getPropertySources().addLast(
 					new ConfigurationPropertySources(reorderedSources));
 		}
diff --git a/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigFileApplicationListenerTests.java b/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigFileApplicationListenerTests.java
index 5c3a10075d..38d2043a2e 100644
--- a/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigFileApplicationListenerTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigFileApplicationListenerTests.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import java.lang.reflect.Field;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Profile;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.PropertySource;
 import org.springframework.core.env.ConfigurableEnvironment;
+import org.springframework.core.env.MapPropertySource;
 import org.springframework.core.env.MutablePropertySources;
 import org.springframework.core.env.SimpleCommandLinePropertySource;
 import org.springframework.core.env.StandardEnvironment;
@@ -260,6 +262,33 @@ public class ConfigFileApplicationListenerTests {
 		assertThat(property, equalTo("fromsystem"));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void defaultPropertyAsFallback() throws Exception {
+		this.event
+				.getEnvironment()
+				.getPropertySources()
+				.addLast(
+						new MapPropertySource("defaultProperties", Collections
+								.singletonMap("my.fallback", (Object) "foo")));
+		this.initializer.onApplicationEvent(this.event);
+		String property = this.environment.getProperty("my.fallback");
+		assertThat(property, equalTo("foo"));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void defaultPropertyAsFallbackDuringFileParsing() throws Exception {
+		this.event
+				.getEnvironment()
+				.getPropertySources()
+				.addLast(
+						new MapPropertySource("defaultProperties", Collections
+								.singletonMap("spring.config.name",
+										(Object) "testproperties")));
+		this.initializer.onApplicationEvent(this.event);
+		String property = this.environment.getProperty("my.property");
+		assertThat(property, equalTo("frompropertiesfile"));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void loadPropertiesThenProfilePropertiesActivatedInSpringApplication()
 			throws Exception {
diff --git a/spring-boot/src/test/resources/application.properties b/spring-boot/src/test/resources/application.properties
index 7cc1ee4906..2f0172e0f2 100644
--- a/spring-boot/src/test/resources/application.properties
+++ b/spring-boot/src/test/resources/application.properties
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ foo: bucket
 value: 1234
 my.property: fromapplicationproperties
 sample.app.test.prop: *
+my.placeholder: ${my.fallback}