diff --git a/term_reference_tree.widget.inc b/term_reference_tree.widget.inc
index 07cdccea..d1438313 100644
--- a/term_reference_tree.widget.inc
+++ b/term_reference_tree.widget.inc
@@ -672,13 +672,15 @@ function _term_reference_tree_widget_validate(&$element, &$form_state) {
 	    // The title is already check_plained so it's appropriate to use !.
 	    form_error($element, t('!name field is required.', array('!name' => $element['#title'])));
 	  }
-	
 	  form_set_value($element, $value, $form_state);
 		// dsm($element, '$element afetr form_set_value');
 	  return $element;
 	}else{
 		# if the field was not in the form
-	  form_set_value($element, $element['#default_value'], $form_state);
+		foreach ($element['#default_value'] as $tid) {
+      $values[] = (array) taxonomy_term_load($tid);
+		}
+	  form_set_value($element, $values, $form_state);
 		// dsm($element, '$element afetr form_set_value');
 	  return $element;