diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/WebDataBinder.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/WebDataBinder.java
index 0a928c4f16..7685be3fcb 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/WebDataBinder.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/WebDataBinder.java
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ public class WebDataBinder extends DataBinder {
 	 * @see #getFieldDefaultPrefix
 	 */
 	protected void checkFieldDefaults(MutablePropertyValues mpvs) {
-		if (getFieldDefaultPrefix() != null) {
-			String fieldDefaultPrefix = getFieldDefaultPrefix();
+		String fieldDefaultPrefix = getFieldDefaultPrefix();
+		if (fieldDefaultPrefix != null) {
 			PropertyValue[] pvArray = mpvs.getPropertyValues();
 			for (PropertyValue pv : pvArray) {
 				if (pv.getName().startsWith(fieldDefaultPrefix)) {
@@ -233,8 +233,8 @@ public class WebDataBinder extends DataBinder {
 	 * @see #getEmptyValue(String, Class)
 	 */
 	protected void checkFieldMarkers(MutablePropertyValues mpvs) {
-		if (getFieldMarkerPrefix() != null) {
-			String fieldMarkerPrefix = getFieldMarkerPrefix();
+		String fieldMarkerPrefix = getFieldMarkerPrefix();
+		if (fieldMarkerPrefix != null) {
 			PropertyValue[] pvArray = mpvs.getPropertyValues();
 			for (PropertyValue pv : pvArray) {
 				if (pv.getName().startsWith(fieldMarkerPrefix)) {
@@ -251,7 +251,20 @@ public class WebDataBinder extends DataBinder {
 
 	/**
 	 * Determine an empty value for the specified field.
-	 * <p>Default implementation returns:
+	 * <p>The default implementation delegates to {@link #getEmptyValue(Class)}
+	 * if the field type is known, otherwise falls back to {@code null}.
+	 * @param field the name of the field
+	 * @param fieldType the type of the field
+	 * @return the empty value (for most fields: {@code null})
+	 */
+	@Nullable
+	protected Object getEmptyValue(String field, @Nullable Class<?> fieldType) {
+		return (fieldType != null ? getEmptyValue(fieldType) : null);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Determine an empty value for the specified field.
+	 * <p>The default implementation returns:
 	 * <ul>
 	 * <li>{@code Boolean.FALSE} for boolean fields
 	 * <li>an empty array for array types
@@ -259,39 +272,39 @@ public class WebDataBinder extends DataBinder {
 	 * <li>Map implementations for Map types
 	 * <li>else, {@code null} is used as default
 	 * </ul>
-	 * @param field the name of the field
 	 * @param fieldType the type of the field
-	 * @return the empty value (for most fields: null)
+	 * @return the empty value (for most fields: {@code null})
+	 * @since 5.0
 	 */
 	@Nullable
-	protected Object getEmptyValue(String field, @Nullable Class<?> fieldType) {
-		if (fieldType != null) {
-			try {
-				if (boolean.class == fieldType || Boolean.class == fieldType) {
-					// Special handling of boolean property.
-					return Boolean.FALSE;
-				}
-				else if (fieldType.isArray()) {
-					// Special handling of array property.
-					return Array.newInstance(fieldType.getComponentType(), 0);
-				}
-				else if (Collection.class.isAssignableFrom(fieldType)) {
-					return CollectionFactory.createCollection(fieldType, 0);
-				}
-				else if (Map.class.isAssignableFrom(fieldType)) {
-					return CollectionFactory.createMap(fieldType, 0);
-				}
-			} catch (IllegalArgumentException exc) {
-				return null;
+	public Object getEmptyValue(Class<?> fieldType) {
+		try {
+			if (boolean.class == fieldType || Boolean.class == fieldType) {
+				// Special handling of boolean property.
+				return Boolean.FALSE;
+			}
+			else if (fieldType.isArray()) {
+				// Special handling of array property.
+				return Array.newInstance(fieldType.getComponentType(), 0);
+			}
+			else if (Collection.class.isAssignableFrom(fieldType)) {
+				return CollectionFactory.createCollection(fieldType, 0);
+			}
+			else if (Map.class.isAssignableFrom(fieldType)) {
+				return CollectionFactory.createMap(fieldType, 0);
 			}
 		}
-		// Default value: try null.
+		catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+			logger.debug("Failed to create default value - falling back to null: " + ex.getMessage());
+		}
+		// Default value: null.
 		return null;
 	}
 
+
 	/**
 	 * Bind all multipart files contained in the given request, if any
-	 * (in case of a multipart request).
+	 * (in case of a multipart request). To be called by subclasses.
 	 * <p>Multipart files will only be added to the property values if they
 	 * are not empty or if we're configured to bind empty multipart files too.
 	 * @param multipartFiles Map of field name String to MultipartFile object
diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/method/annotation/ModelAttributeMethodProcessor.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/method/annotation/ModelAttributeMethodProcessor.java
index 5114cbd0c2..1b5872d8fe 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/method/annotation/ModelAttributeMethodProcessor.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/method/annotation/ModelAttributeMethodProcessor.java
@@ -241,14 +241,30 @@ public class ModelAttributeMethodProcessor implements HandlerMethodArgumentResol
 		Class<?>[] paramTypes = ctor.getParameterTypes();
 		Assert.state(paramNames.length == paramTypes.length,
 				() -> "Invalid number of parameter names: " + paramNames.length + " for constructor " + ctor);
+
 		Object[] args = new Object[paramTypes.length];
 		WebDataBinder binder = binderFactory.createBinder(webRequest, null, attributeName);
+		String fieldDefaultPrefix = binder.getFieldDefaultPrefix();
+		String fieldMarkerPrefix = binder.getFieldMarkerPrefix();
 		boolean bindingFailure = false;
+
 		for (int i = 0; i < paramNames.length; i++) {
-			String[] paramValues = webRequest.getParameterValues(paramNames[i]);
+			String paramName = paramNames[i];
+			Class<?> paramType = paramTypes[i];
+			Object value = webRequest.getParameterValues(paramName);
+			if (value == null) {
+				if (fieldDefaultPrefix != null) {
+					value = webRequest.getParameter(fieldDefaultPrefix + paramName);
+				}
+				if (value == null && fieldMarkerPrefix != null) {
+					if (webRequest.getParameter(fieldMarkerPrefix + paramName) != null) {
+						value = binder.getEmptyValue(paramType);
+					}
+				}
+			}
 			try {
-				args[i] = (paramValues != null ?
-						binder.convertIfNecessary(paramValues, paramTypes[i], new MethodParameter(ctor, i)) : null);
+				args[i] = (value != null ?
+						binder.convertIfNecessary(value, paramType, new MethodParameter(ctor, i)) : null);
 			}
 			catch (TypeMismatchException ex) {
 				bindingFailure = true;
@@ -257,6 +273,7 @@ public class ModelAttributeMethodProcessor implements HandlerMethodArgumentResol
 						new String[] {ex.getErrorCode()}, null, ex.getLocalizedMessage()));
 			}
 		}
+
 		if (bindingFailure) {
 			throw new BindException(binder.getBindingResult());
 		}
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests.java b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests.java
index 5f4653f411..88f5a6bfe6 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests.java
@@ -1729,10 +1729,10 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests extends AbstractServl
 
 		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/bind");
 		request.addParameter("param1", "value1");
-		request.addParameter("param2", "2");
+		request.addParameter("param2", "true");
 		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
 		getServlet().service(request, response);
-		assertEquals("value1-2-0", response.getContentAsString());
+		assertEquals("value1-true-0", response.getContentAsString());
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -1741,11 +1741,11 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests extends AbstractServl
 
 		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/bind");
 		request.addParameter("param1", "value1");
-		request.addParameter("param2", "2");
+		request.addParameter("param2", "true");
 		request.addParameter("param3", "3");
 		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
 		getServlet().service(request, response);
-		assertEquals("value1-2-3", response.getContentAsString());
+		assertEquals("value1-true-3", response.getContentAsString());
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -1754,11 +1754,11 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests extends AbstractServl
 
 		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/bind");
 		request.addParameter("param1", "value1");
-		request.addParameter("param2", "2");
+		request.addParameter("param2", "true");
 		request.addParameter("param3", "3");
 		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
 		getServlet().service(request, response);
-		assertEquals("value1-2-3", response.getContentAsString());
+		assertEquals("value1-true-3", response.getContentAsString());
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -1777,7 +1777,7 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests extends AbstractServl
 		initServletWithControllers(ValidatedDataClassController.class);
 
 		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/bind");
-		request.addParameter("param2", "2");
+		request.addParameter("param2", "true");
 		request.addParameter("param3", "3");
 		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
 		getServlet().service(request, response);
@@ -1790,11 +1790,11 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests extends AbstractServl
 
 		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/bind");
 		request.addParameter("param1", "value1");
-		request.addParameter("param2", "2");
+		request.addParameter("param2", "true");
 		request.addParameter("param3", "3");
 		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
 		getServlet().service(request, response);
-		assertEquals("value1-2-3", response.getContentAsString());
+		assertEquals("value1-true-3", response.getContentAsString());
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -1808,6 +1808,56 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests extends AbstractServl
 		assertTrue(response.getContentAsString().contains("field 'param2'"));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void dataClassBindingWithFieldMarker() throws Exception {
+		initServletWithControllers(DataClassController.class);
+
+		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/bind");
+		request.addParameter("param1", "value1");
+		request.addParameter("param2", "true");
+		request.addParameter("_param2", "on");
+		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
+		getServlet().service(request, response);
+		assertEquals("value1-true-0", response.getContentAsString());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void dataClassBindingWithFieldMarkerFallback() throws Exception {
+		initServletWithControllers(DataClassController.class);
+
+		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/bind");
+		request.addParameter("param1", "value1");
+		request.addParameter("_param2", "on");
+		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
+		getServlet().service(request, response);
+		assertEquals("value1-false-0", response.getContentAsString());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void dataClassBindingWithFieldDefault() throws Exception {
+		initServletWithControllers(DataClassController.class);
+
+		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/bind");
+		request.addParameter("param1", "value1");
+		request.addParameter("param2", "true");
+		request.addParameter("!param2", "false");
+		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
+		getServlet().service(request, response);
+		assertEquals("value1-true-0", response.getContentAsString());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void dataClassBindingWithFieldDefaultFallback() throws Exception {
+		initServletWithControllers(DataClassController.class);
+
+		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/bind");
+		request.addParameter("param1", "value1");
+		request.addParameter("!param2", "false");
+		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
+		getServlet().service(request, response);
+		assertEquals("value1-false-0", response.getContentAsString());
+	}
+
 
 	@Controller
 	static class ControllerWithEmptyValueMapping {
@@ -3336,12 +3386,12 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerHandlerMethodTests extends AbstractServl
 		@NotNull
 		public final String param1;
 
-		public final int param2;
+		public final boolean param2;
 
 		public int param3;
 
 		@ConstructorProperties({"param1", "param2"})
-		public DataClass(String param1, int p2) {
+		public DataClass(String param1, boolean p2) {
 			this.param1 = param1;
 			this.param2 = p2;
 		}