diff --git a/spark/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/spark/ZeppelinContext.java b/spark/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/spark/ZeppelinContext.java
index 5ec38d494f6..36dc6215af3 100644
--- a/spark/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/spark/ZeppelinContext.java
+++ b/spark/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/spark/ZeppelinContext.java
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ public Object select(String name, Object defaultValue,
       paramOptions[i++] = new ParamOption(valueAndDisplayValue._1(), valueAndDisplayValue._2());
     }
 
-    return gui.select(name, "", paramOptions);
+    return gui.select(name, defaultValue, paramOptions);
   }
 
   public void setGui(GUI o) {