diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 07de9fa..135a1cb 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ pickleDB is Fun
     >>> db.get('key')
     'value'
 
+    >>> db.get('keyx','default_value')
+    'default_value'
+
     >>> db.dump()
     True
 
diff --git a/pickledb.py b/pickledb.py
index 3a15f0c..746b167 100644
--- a/pickledb.py
+++ b/pickledb.py
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@ def set(self, key, value):
         self._dumpdb(self.fsave)
         return True
 
-    def get(self, key):
+    def get(self, key, default_value=None):
         '''Get the value of a key'''
         try:
             return self.db[key]
         except KeyError:
-            return None
+            return default_value
 
     def getall(self):
         '''Return a list of all keys in db'''