diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_values.py b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_values.py
index 18ced2d1e20..7a92e2cec6a 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_values.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_values.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import pickle
 
 from openerp.osv import osv, fields
 from openerp.osv.orm import except_orm
+from openerp.tools.safe_eval import safe_eval as eval
 
 EXCLUDED_FIELDS = set((
     'report_sxw_content', 'report_rml_content', 'report_sxw', 'report_rml',
@@ -121,7 +122,10 @@ class ir_values(osv.osv):
         record = self.browse(cursor, user, id, context=context)
         if record.key == 'default':
             # default values are pickled on the fly
-            value = pickle.dumps(value)
+            try:
+                value = isinstance(value, (str, unicode)) and pickle.dumps(eval(value)) or pickle.dumps(value)
+            except Exception:
+                value = pickle.dumps(value)
         self.write(cursor, user, id, {name[:-9]: value}, context=ctx)
 
     def onchange_object_id(self, cr, uid, ids, object_id, context=None):