diff --git a/lib/Drupal/ctools/DatabaseExportableController.php b/lib/Drupal/ctools/DatabaseExportableController.php
index 6c4d655..d551365 100644
--- a/lib/Drupal/ctools/DatabaseExportableController.php
+++ b/lib/Drupal/ctools/DatabaseExportableController.php
@@ -310,12 +310,17 @@ class DatabaseExportableController extends ExportableControllerBase {
   /**
    * @todo.
    */
-  public function create(array $data = array()) {
+  public function create(array $data = array(), $set_defaults = TRUE) {
     // Populate default values.
     foreach ($this->schema['fields'] as $field => $info) {
       // Get a default if nothing exists.
       if (!isset($data[$field])) {
-        $data[$field] = !empty($info['default']) ? $info['default'] : NULL;
+        if ($set_defaults) {
+          $data[$field] = !empty($info['default']) ? $info['default'] : NULL;
+        }
+        else {
+          $data[$field] = NULL;
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/ctools_export_test/ctools_export_test.install b/tests/ctools_export_test/ctools_export_test.install
index 5485e0c..9bc773e 100644
--- a/tests/ctools_export_test/ctools_export_test.install
+++ b/tests/ctools_export_test/ctools_export_test.install
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ function ctools_export_test_schema() {
         'type' => 'varchar',
         'length' => 255,
         'not null' => TRUE,
-        'default' => '',
+        'default' => 'default_title',
       ),
       'number' => array(
         'description' => "A number.",
diff --git a/tests/ctools_export_test/ctools_exportable.test b/tests/ctools_export_test/ctools_exportable.test
index 90314c6..ef4572f 100644
--- a/tests/ctools_export_test/ctools_exportable.test
+++ b/tests/ctools_export_test/ctools_exportable.test
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class CToolsExportableTestCase extends WebTestBase {
     // Create a new exportable from defaults.
     $expected_export = new $info['exportable class'](array(
       'machine' => '',
-      'title' => '',
+      'title' => 'default_title',
       'number' => 0,
       'data' => '',
     ), $exportable_type);
@@ -51,6 +51,18 @@ class CToolsExportableTestCase extends WebTestBase {
 
     $this->assertEqual($expected_export, $created_export, 'An exportable object has been created correctly from defaults.');
 
+    // Create a new exportable with no defaults.
+    $expected_export = new $info['exportable class'](array(
+      'machine' => NULL,
+      'title' => NULL,
+      'number' => NULL,
+      'data' => NULL,
+    ), $exportable_type);
+
+    $created_export = $controller->create(array(), FALSE);
+
+    $this->assertEqual($expected_export, $created_export, 'An exportable object has been created correctly with no defaults.');
+
     // Create a new exportable from data.
     $expected_export = new $info['exportable class'](array(
       'machine' => 'created',