diff --git a/modules/poll/poll.module b/modules/poll/poll.module
index 70eb65d..d4bf8de 100644
--- a/modules/poll/poll.module
+++ b/modules/poll/poll.module
@@ -720,7 +720,6 @@ function poll_view_voting($form, &$form_state, $node, $block = FALSE) {
       '#type' => 'radios',
       '#title' => t('Choices'),
       '#title_display' => 'invisible',
-      '#default_value' => -1,
       '#options' => $list,
     );
   }
@@ -748,7 +747,7 @@ function poll_view_voting($form, &$form_state, $node, $block = FALSE) {
  * Validation function for processing votes
  */
 function poll_view_voting_validate($form, &$form_state) {
-  if ($form_state['values']['choice'] == -1) {
+  if (empty($form_state['values']['choice'])) {
     form_set_error( 'choice', t('Your vote could not be recorded because you did not select any of the choices.'));
   }
 }
diff --git a/modules/poll/poll.test b/modules/poll/poll.test
index 35eea22..e24032d 100644
--- a/modules/poll/poll.test
+++ b/modules/poll/poll.test
@@ -315,6 +315,11 @@ class PollVoteTestCase extends PollTestCase {
 
     $this->drupalLogin($vote_user);
 
+    // Record a vote without selecting any choice.
+    $edit = array();
+    $this->drupalPost('node/' . $poll_nid, $edit, t('Vote'));
+    $this->assertText(t('Your vote could not be recorded because you did not select any of the choices.'), 'Found the empty poll submission error message.');
+
     // Record a vote for the first choice.
     $edit = array(
       'choice' => '1',