diff --git a/modules/field_collection/field_collection.module b/modules/field_collection/field_collection.module
index 6776b43..b8377ba 100644
--- a/modules/field_collection/field_collection.module
+++ b/modules/field_collection/field_collection.module
@@ -1436,6 +1436,18 @@ function field_collection_field_widget_form(&$form, &$form_state, $field, $insta
         );
       }
 
+      $fields = field_info_instances('field_collection_item', $field_name);
+
+      foreach ($fields as $field_name => $field) {
+        $info = field_info_field($field_name);
+        if ($info['type'] == 'image') {
+          if (!isset($field_collection_item->{$field_name}) && isset($element[$field_name])) {
+            unset($element[$field_name][$element['#language']]['0']['#default_value']);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      
       $recursion--;
       return $element;
   }