diff --git a/include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index 1dedb809b5..f32d110812 100644
--- a/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -3782,6 +3782,27 @@ class basic_json
 
     @since version 1.0.0
     */
+    template<class ValueType, typename std::enable_if<
+                 std::is_convertible<basic_json_t, ValueType>::value
+                 and not std::is_same<value_t, ValueType>::value, int>::type = 0>
+    ValueType value(const typename object_t::key_type& key, const ValueType& default_value) const
+    {
+        // at only works for objects
+        if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(is_object()))
+        {
+            // if key is found, return value and given default value otherwise
+            const auto it = find(key);
+            if (it != end())
+            {
+                return *it;
+            }
+
+            return default_value;
+        }
+
+        JSON_THROW(type_error::create(306, "cannot use value() with " + std::string(type_name())));
+    }
+
     template<class ValueType, typename std::enable_if<
                  std::is_convertible<basic_json_t, ValueType>::value
                  and not std::is_same<value_t, ValueType>::value, int>::type = 0>
@@ -3809,7 +3830,7 @@ class basic_json
     */
     string_t value(const typename object_t::key_type& key, const char* default_value) const
     {
-        return value(key, std::move(string_t(default_value)));
+        return value(key, string_t(default_value));
     }
 
     /*!
@@ -3855,6 +3876,27 @@ class basic_json
 
     @since version 2.0.2
     */
+    template<class ValueType, typename std::enable_if<
+                 std::is_convertible<basic_json_t, ValueType>::value, int>::type = 0>
+    ValueType value(const json_pointer& ptr, const ValueType& default_value) const
+    {
+        // at only works for objects
+        if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(is_object()))
+        {
+            // if pointer resolves a value, return it or use default value
+            JSON_TRY
+            {
+                return ptr.get_checked(this);
+            }
+            JSON_INTERNAL_CATCH (out_of_range&)
+            {
+                return default_value;
+            }
+        }
+
+        JSON_THROW(type_error::create(306, "cannot use value() with " + std::string(type_name())));
+    }
+
     template<class ValueType, typename std::enable_if<
                  std::is_convertible<basic_json_t, ValueType>::value, int>::type = 0>
     ValueType value(const json_pointer& ptr, ValueType && default_value) const
@@ -3883,7 +3925,7 @@ class basic_json
     JSON_HEDLEY_NON_NULL(3)
     string_t value(const json_pointer& ptr, const char* default_value) const
     {
-        return value(ptr, std::move(string_t(default_value)));
+        return value(ptr, string_t(default_value));
     }
 
     /*!
diff --git a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index 87222900bb..467d242f57 100644
--- a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -19712,6 +19712,27 @@ class basic_json
 
     @since version 1.0.0
     */
+    template<class ValueType, typename std::enable_if<
+                 std::is_convertible<basic_json_t, ValueType>::value
+                 and not std::is_same<value_t, ValueType>::value, int>::type = 0>
+    ValueType value(const typename object_t::key_type& key, const ValueType& default_value) const
+    {
+        // at only works for objects
+        if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(is_object()))
+        {
+            // if key is found, return value and given default value otherwise
+            const auto it = find(key);
+            if (it != end())
+            {
+                return *it;
+            }
+
+            return default_value;
+        }
+
+        JSON_THROW(type_error::create(306, "cannot use value() with " + std::string(type_name())));
+    }
+
     template<class ValueType, typename std::enable_if<
                  std::is_convertible<basic_json_t, ValueType>::value
                  and not std::is_same<value_t, ValueType>::value, int>::type = 0>
@@ -19739,7 +19760,7 @@ class basic_json
     */
     string_t value(const typename object_t::key_type& key, const char* default_value) const
     {
-        return value(key, std::move(string_t(default_value)));
+        return value(key, string_t(default_value));
     }
 
     /*!
@@ -19785,6 +19806,27 @@ class basic_json
 
     @since version 2.0.2
     */
+    template<class ValueType, typename std::enable_if<
+                 std::is_convertible<basic_json_t, ValueType>::value, int>::type = 0>
+    ValueType value(const json_pointer& ptr, const ValueType& default_value) const
+    {
+        // at only works for objects
+        if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(is_object()))
+        {
+            // if pointer resolves a value, return it or use default value
+            JSON_TRY
+            {
+                return ptr.get_checked(this);
+            }
+            JSON_INTERNAL_CATCH (out_of_range&)
+            {
+                return default_value;
+            }
+        }
+
+        JSON_THROW(type_error::create(306, "cannot use value() with " + std::string(type_name())));
+    }
+
     template<class ValueType, typename std::enable_if<
                  std::is_convertible<basic_json_t, ValueType>::value, int>::type = 0>
     ValueType value(const json_pointer& ptr, ValueType && default_value) const
@@ -19813,7 +19855,7 @@ class basic_json
     JSON_HEDLEY_NON_NULL(3)
     string_t value(const json_pointer& ptr, const char* default_value) const
     {
-        return value(ptr, std::move(string_t(default_value)));
+        return value(ptr, string_t(default_value));
     }
 
     /*!
diff --git a/test/src/unit-element_access2.cpp b/test/src/unit-element_access2.cpp
index 0a73964a26..59a97c38d3 100644
--- a/test/src/unit-element_access2.cpp
+++ b/test/src/unit-element_access2.cpp
@@ -282,6 +282,18 @@ TEST_CASE("element access 2")
                         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(j_nonobject_const.value("foo", 1),
                                           "[json.exception.type_error.306] cannot use value() with number");
                     }
+                    SECTION("default value is lvalue")
+                    {
+                        json j_nonobject(json::value_t::number_float);
+                        const json j_nonobject_const(j_nonobject);
+                        std::string defval = "default value";
+                        CHECK_THROWS_AS(j_nonobject.value("foo", defval), json::type_error&);
+                        CHECK_THROWS_AS(j_nonobject_const.value("foo", defval), json::type_error&);
+                        CHECK_THROWS_WITH(j_nonobject.value("foo", defval),
+                                          "[json.exception.type_error.306] cannot use value() with number");
+                        CHECK_THROWS_WITH(j_nonobject_const.value("foo", defval),
+                                          "[json.exception.type_error.306] cannot use value() with number");
+                    }
                 }
             }
 
diff --git a/test/src/unit-regression.cpp b/test/src/unit-regression.cpp
index e5cd0337b3..3f9d9c26da 100644
--- a/test/src/unit-regression.cpp
+++ b/test/src/unit-regression.cpp
@@ -1945,6 +1945,15 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
                   )
         );
     }
+
+    SECTION("PR #2181 - regression bug with lvalue")
+    {
+        // see https://github.com/nlohmann/json/pull/2181#issuecomment-653326060
+        json j{{"x", "test"}};
+        std::string defval = "default value";
+        auto val = j.value("x", defval);
+        auto val2 = j.value("y", defval);
+    }
 }
 
 #if not defined(JSON_NOEXCEPTION)
diff --git a/test/src/unit-udt_macro.cpp b/test/src/unit-udt_macro.cpp
index a6b66e9550..90d5e1cc4c 100644
--- a/test/src/unit-udt_macro.cpp
+++ b/test/src/unit-udt_macro.cpp
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ class person_with_private_data
 class person_without_private_data_1
 {
   public:
-  std::string name = "";
-  int age = 0;
-  json metadata = nullptr;
+    std::string name = "";
+    int age = 0;
+    json metadata = nullptr;
 
     bool operator==(const person_without_private_data_1& rhs) const
     {
@@ -82,9 +82,9 @@ class person_without_private_data_1
 class person_without_private_data_2
 {
   public:
-  std::string name = "";
-  int age = 0;
-  json metadata = nullptr;
+    std::string name = "";
+    int age = 0;
+    json metadata = nullptr;
 
     bool operator==(const person_without_private_data_2& rhs) const
     {