diff --git a/templates/default/register.html b/templates/default/register.html
index ad7945457..fb12e4ad4 100644
--- a/templates/default/register.html
+++ b/templates/default/register.html
@@ -204,7 +204,14 @@
                                     <select name="{$name}" id="{$label_attr.for}" class="form-control" required>
                                         <option value="">-- {intl l="Select Country"} --</option>
                                         {loop type="country" name="country.list"}
-                                            <option value="{$ID}" {if $value == $ID}selected{/if} >{$TITLE}</option>
+                                            <option value="{$ID}"
+                                                    {if $value != ""}
+                                                        {if $value == $ID}selected{/if}
+                                                    {else}
+                                                        {if $IS_DEFAULT}selected{/if}
+                                                    {/if}
+
+                                            >{$TITLE}</option>
                                         {/loop}
                                     </select>
                                     {if $error }