diff --git a/bottle.py b/bottle.py
index 23fff762..807c9846 100755
--- a/bottle.py
+++ b/bottle.py
@@ -2615,10 +2615,7 @@ def push(self, value=None):
 
     @property
     def default(self):
-        try:
-            return self[-1]
-        except IndexError:
-            return self.push()
+        return self[-1] if self else self.push()
 
 
 class WSGIFileWrapper(object):