diff --git a/plan/task/clientenv.go b/plan/task/clientenv.go
index 5e51f625..8bf98658 100644
--- a/plan/task/clientenv.go
+++ b/plan/task/clientenv.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func (t clientEnvTask) getEnv(envvar string, v *compiler.Value, pctx *plancontex
 		return secret.MarshalCUE(), nil
 	}
 
-	if val.IsConcrete() {
+	if !hasDefault && val.IsConcrete() {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: unexpected concrete value, please use a type or set a default", envvar)
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/plan.bats b/tests/plan.bats
index 1eae849b..22284a39 100644
--- a/tests/plan.bats
+++ b/tests/plan.bats
@@ -183,6 +183,16 @@ setup() {
   export TEST_SECRET="bar"
 
   "$DAGGER" "do" -p ./plan/client/env/usage.cue test
+
+}
+
+@test "plan/client/env default" {
+  cd "${TESTDIR}"
+
+  export TEST_DEFAULT="hello universe"
+
+  "$DAGGER" "do" -p ./plan/client/env/default.cue test
+
 }
 
 @test "plan/client/env not exists" {
diff --git a/tests/plan/client/env/default.cue b/tests/plan/client/env/default.cue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..93800148
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/plan/client/env/default.cue
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"dagger.io/dagger"
+	"dagger.io/dagger/core"
+)
+
+dagger.#Plan & {
+	client: env: TEST_DEFAULT: string | *"hello world"
+	actions: {
+		image: core.#Pull & {
+			source: "alpine:3.15.0@sha256:e7d88de73db3d3fd9b2d63aa7f447a10fd0220b7cbf39803c803f2af9ba256b3"
+		}
+		test: core.#Exec & {
+            input: image.output
+            args: ["test", client.env.TEST_DEFAULT, "=", "hello universe"]
+		}
+	}
+}