diff --git a/pyext/swsscommon.i b/pyext/swsscommon.i
index 77cdf364..c06badb0 100644
--- a/pyext/swsscommon.i
+++ b/pyext/swsscommon.i
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@
 %template(VectorString) std::vector<std::string>;
 
 %pythoncode %{
-    def _FieldValueMap__get(self, key, defval):
+    def _FieldValueMap__get(self, key, default=None):
         if key in self:
             return self[key]
         else:
-            return defval
+            return default
 
     def _FieldValueMap__update(self, *args, **kwargs):
         other = dict(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/tests/test_redis_ut.py b/tests/test_redis_ut.py
index 2001af4c..cc934e47 100644
--- a/tests/test_redis_ut.py
+++ b/tests/test_redis_ut.py
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ def test_DBInterface():
     assert fvs["field1"] == "value2"
 
     # Test dict.get()
+    assert fvs.get("field1") == "value2"
+    assert fvs.get("field1_noexisting") == None
     assert fvs.get("field1", "default") == "value2"
     assert fvs.get("nonfield", "default") == "default"