diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cee1233d..b5d82efb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ Parameters:
 
 Options:
 
-- `__default`: Default value to use for unknown values. (Default: Old value)
+- `default`: Default value to use for unknown values. The option needs to be written in quotation marks because it is a reserved word in Java. (Default: Old value)
 - `delete`: Whether to delete unknown values. (Default: `false`)
 - `print_unknown`: Whether to print unknown values. (Default: `false`)
 
@@ -782,7 +782,7 @@ put_rdfmap("path/to/file", "rdf-map", target: "<rdfProperty>")
 lookup("path.to.field", "rdf-map")
 
 # with default value
-lookup("path.to.field", "map-name", __default: "NA")
+lookup("path.to.field", "map-name", "default": "NA")
 
 # with printing unknown values to a file
 lookup("path.to.field", "map-name", print_unknown: "true", destination: "unknown.txt")
diff --git a/metafix/src/main/java/org/metafacture/metafix/FixMethod.java b/metafix/src/main/java/org/metafacture/metafix/FixMethod.java
index 7bd18bf6..8eddcfe5 100644
--- a/metafix/src/main/java/org/metafacture/metafix/FixMethod.java
+++ b/metafix/src/main/java/org/metafacture/metafix/FixMethod.java
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ public void apply(final Metafix metafix, final Record record, final List<String>
                 map = metafix.getMap(mapName);
             }
 
-            final String defaultValue = map.get(Maps.DEFAULT_MAP_KEY); // TODO: Catmandu uses 'default'
+            final String defaultValue = options.getOrDefault("default", map.get(Maps.DEFAULT_MAP_KEY));
             final boolean delete = getBoolean(options, "delete");
             final boolean printUnknown = getBoolean(options, "print_unknown");
 
diff --git a/metafix/src/test/java/org/metafacture/metafix/MetafixLookupTest.java b/metafix/src/test/java/org/metafacture/metafix/MetafixLookupTest.java
index e2de4a02..d527fb80 100644
--- a/metafix/src/test/java/org/metafacture/metafix/MetafixLookupTest.java
+++ b/metafix/src/test/java/org/metafacture/metafix/MetafixLookupTest.java
@@ -453,6 +453,14 @@ public void shouldLookupInSeparateInternalMap() {
         );
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void shouldUseDefaultOptionFromLookupOption() {
+        assertMap(
+                "put_map('testMap', Aloha: Alohaeha, 'Moin': 'Moin zäme')",
+                LOOKUP + " 'testMap', 'default': 'Tach')"
+        );
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void shouldLookupInSeparateExternalFileMap() {
         assertMap(
@@ -630,6 +638,52 @@ public void shouldUseDefaultValueIfNotFound() {
         );
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void shouldUseDefaultOptionValueIfNotFound() {
+        MetafixTestHelpers.assertFix(streamReceiver, Arrays.asList(
+                "put_map('testMap', Aloha: Alohaeha, 'Moin': 'Moin zäme')",
+                "lookup('title.*', 'testMap', 'default': 'Tach')"
+            ),
+            i -> {
+                i.startRecord("1");
+                i.literal("title", "Aloha");
+                i.literal("title", "Moin");
+                i.literal("title", "Yo");
+                i.endRecord();
+            },
+            o -> {
+                o.get().startRecord("1");
+                o.get().literal("title", "Alohaeha");
+                o.get().literal("title", "Moin zäme");
+                o.get().literal("title", "Tach");
+                o.get().endRecord();
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void shouldPreferDefaultOptionValueOverDefaultMapValue() {
+        MetafixTestHelpers.assertFix(streamReceiver, Arrays.asList(
+                "put_map('testMap', Aloha: Alohaeha, 'Moin': 'Moin zäme', __default: Tach)",
+                "lookup('title.*', 'testMap', 'default': 'Hi')"
+            ),
+            i -> {
+                i.startRecord("1");
+                i.literal("title", "Aloha");
+                i.literal("title", "Moin");
+                i.literal("title", "Yo");
+                i.endRecord();
+            },
+            o -> {
+                o.get().startRecord("1");
+                o.get().literal("title", "Alohaeha");
+                o.get().literal("title", "Moin zäme");
+                o.get().literal("title", "Hi");
+                o.get().endRecord();
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
     @Test
     // See https://github.com/metafacture/metafacture-fix/issues/149
     public void shouldDeleteNonFoundLookupOnDemand() {