diff --git a/packages/conform-zod/coercion.ts b/packages/conform-zod/coercion.ts
index 9c46f335..cc8f45ca 100644
--- a/packages/conform-zod/coercion.ts
+++ b/packages/conform-zod/coercion.ts
@@ -180,26 +180,29 @@ export function enableTypeCoercion<Type extends ZodTypeAny>(
 		});
 	} else if (type instanceof ZodEffects) {
 		if (isFileSchema(type)) {
-			return preprocess((value) => coerceFile(value), type);
+			schema = preprocess((value) => coerceFile(value), type);
+		} else {
+			schema = new ZodEffects({
+				...type._def,
+				schema: enableTypeCoercion(type.innerType(), cache),
+			});
 		}
-
-		schema = new ZodEffects({
-			...type._def,
-			schema: enableTypeCoercion(type.innerType(), cache),
-		});
 	} else if (type instanceof ZodOptional) {
 		schema = preprocess(
-			(value) => coerceString(coerceFile(value)),
+			(value) => coerceFile(coerceString(value)),
 			new ZodOptional({
 				...type._def,
 				innerType: enableTypeCoercion(type.unwrap(), cache),
 			}),
 		);
 	} else if (type instanceof ZodDefault) {
-		schema = new ZodDefault({
-			...type._def,
-			innerType: enableTypeCoercion(type.removeDefault(), cache),
-		});
+		schema = preprocess(
+			(value) => coerceFile(coerceString(value)),
+			new ZodDefault({
+				...type._def,
+				innerType: enableTypeCoercion(type.removeDefault(), cache),
+			}),
+		);
 	} else if (type instanceof ZodIntersection) {
 		schema = new ZodIntersection({
 			...type._def,
diff --git a/packages/conform-zod/parse.ts b/packages/conform-zod/parse.ts
index 1dc378d9..6124e534 100644
--- a/packages/conform-zod/parse.ts
+++ b/packages/conform-zod/parse.ts
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@ import {
 	type output,
 	type RefinementCtx,
 	type SafeParseReturnType,
+	type ZodCustomIssue,
 	type ZodTypeAny,
 	type ZodErrorMap,
 	type IssueData,
 	ZodIssueCode,
-	ZodCustomIssue,
 } from 'zod';
 import { enableTypeCoercion } from './coercion';
 
diff --git a/tests/conform-zod.spec.ts b/tests/conform-zod.spec.ts
index 71a3a2b7..c14ad4c2 100644
--- a/tests/conform-zod.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/conform-zod.spec.ts
@@ -667,6 +667,53 @@ test.describe('conform-zod', () => {
 			expect(() => parse(createFormData([]), { schema })).not.toThrow();
 		});
 
+		test('z.default', () => {
+			const defaultFile = new File(['hello', 'world'], 'example.txt');
+			const defaultDate = new Date(0);
+			const schema = z.object({
+				a: z.string().default('text'),
+				b: z.number().default(123),
+				c: z.boolean().default(true),
+				d: z.date().default(defaultDate),
+				e: z.instanceof(File).default(defaultFile),
+				f: z.array(z.string()).default(['foo', 'bar']),
+			});
+			const emptyFile = new File([], '');
+
+			expect(
+				parse(
+					createFormData([
+						['a', ''],
+						['b', ''],
+						['c', ''],
+						['d', ''],
+						['e', emptyFile],
+						['f', ''],
+					]),
+					{ schema },
+				),
+			).toEqual({
+				intent: 'submit',
+				payload: {
+					a: '',
+					b: '',
+					c: '',
+					d: '',
+					e: emptyFile,
+					f: '',
+				},
+				value: {
+					a: 'text',
+					b: 123,
+					c: true,
+					d: defaultDate,
+					e: defaultFile,
+					f: ['foo', 'bar'],
+				},
+				error: {},
+			});
+		});
+
 		test('z.lazy', () => {
 			const category = z.object({
 				name: z.string({ required_error: 'required' }),