diff --git a/expandvars.py b/expandvars.py
index 0f3254a..ae1f4aa 100644
--- a/expandvars.py
+++ b/expandvars.py
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ def expand_default(var, vars_, set_, nounset, indirect, environ, var_symbol):
     for c in vars_:
         if c == "}":
             n = len(default) + 1
-            default_ = "".join(default)
+            default_ = expand("".join(default))
             if set_ and var not in environ:
                 environ.update({var: default_})
             return getenv(

diff --git a/tests/test_expandvars.py b/tests/test_expandvars.py
index 49f5e21..b95d639 100644
--- a/tests/test_expandvars.py
+++ b/tests/test_expandvars.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def test_expandvars_pid():
     assert expandvars.expandvars("PID( $$ )") == "PID( {0} )".format(getpid())
 
 
-@patch.dict(env, {})
+@patch.dict(env, {"ALTERNATE": "Alternate"})
 def test_expandvars_get_default():
     importlib.reload(expandvars)
 
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ def test_expandvars_get_default():
     assert expandvars.expandvars("${FOO:-default}") == "default"
     assert expandvars.expandvars("${FOO:-}") == ""
     assert expandvars.expandvars("${FOO:-foo}:${FOO-bar}") == "foo:bar"
+    assert expandvars.expandvars("${FOO:-$ALTERNATE}") == "Alternate"
 
 
 @patch.dict(env, {})

Right Hand Side Variable Not Expanded with the '-' Operator
Take the example that I got from some random website

```
VAR1=1
VAR2=2
# var3 is unset.

echo ${VAR1-$VAR2}   # 1
echo ${VAR3-$VAR2}   # 2
```

This seems to be normal bash behaviour, but in the above example expandvars will output `1` and `$VAR2` respectively. Here is the Python code

```python

import os
from expandvars import expandvars

os.environ['VAR1'] = '1'
os.environ['VAR2'] = '2'

v = '${VAR1-$VAR2}'
print(f'{v} expands to "{expandvars(v)}"')    # ${VAR1-$VAR2} expands to "1"

v = '${VAR3-$VAR2}'
print(f'{v} expands to "{expandvars(v)}"')    # ${VAR3-$VAR2} expands to "$VAR2"
```
tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_get_default
tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_constant tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_empty tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_simple tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_from_file tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_combo tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_pid tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_update_default tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_substitute tests/test_expandvars.py::test_offset tests/test_expandvars.py::test_offset_length tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expandvars_indirection tests/test_expandvars.py::test_escape tests/test_expandvars.py::test_corner_cases tests/test_expandvars.py::test_strict_parsing tests/test_expandvars.py::test_missing_escapped_character tests/test_expandvars.py::test_invalid_length_err tests/test_expandvars.py::test_bad_substitution_err tests/test_expandvars.py::test_brace_never_closed_err tests/test_expandvars.py::test_invalid_operand_err tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expand_var_symbol[%] tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expand_var_symbol[&] tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expand_var_symbol[\xa3] tests/test_expandvars.py::test_expand_var_symbol[=]