diff --git a/from-scalar/README.md b/from-scalar/README.md
index a7ae282b..3e95205a 100644
--- a/from-scalar/README.md
+++ b/from-scalar/README.md
@@ -66,8 +66,9 @@ The function accepts the following `options`:
 
 If a `dtype` option is not provided and `value`
 
--   is a `number`, the default [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes] is `'float64'`.
--   is a complex number object, the default [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes] is `'complex128'`.
+-   is a `number`, the default [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes] is the [default][@stdlib/ndarray/defaults] real-valued floating-point data type.
+-   is a complex number object of a known data type, the data type is the same as the provided value.
+-   is a complex number object of an unknown data type, the default [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes] is the [default][@stdlib/ndarray/defaults] complex-valued floating-point data type.
 -   is any other value type, the default [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes] is `'generic'`.
 
 To explicitly specify the [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes] of the returned [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor], provide a `dtype` option.
@@ -165,6 +166,8 @@ for ( i = 0; i < dt.length; i++ ) {
 
 [@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/ndarray/tree/main/dtypes
 
+[@stdlib/ndarray/defaults]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/ndarray/tree/main/defaults
+
 <!-- <related-links> -->
 
 [@stdlib/ndarray/array]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/ndarray/tree/main/array
diff --git a/from-scalar/docs/repl.txt b/from-scalar/docs/repl.txt
index 55a0c1d2..916f91ff 100644
--- a/from-scalar/docs/repl.txt
+++ b/from-scalar/docs/repl.txt
@@ -18,8 +18,12 @@
     options.dtype: string (optional)
         Data type. If not provided and `value`
 
-        - is a number, the default data type is 'float64'.
-        - is a complex number object, the default data type is 'complex128'.
+        - is a number, the default data type is the default real-valued
+          floating-point data type.
+        - is a complex number object of a known complex data type, the data type
+          is the same as the provided value.
+        - is a complex number object of an unknown data type, the default data
+          type is the default complex-valued floating-point data type.
         - is any other value type, the default data type is 'generic'.
 
     options.order: string (optional)
diff --git a/from-scalar/docs/types/index.d.ts b/from-scalar/docs/types/index.d.ts
index 366d2acb..83163f4f 100644
--- a/from-scalar/docs/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/from-scalar/docs/types/index.d.ts
@@ -461,8 +461,9 @@ declare function scalar2ndarray( value: number, options: Uint8cOptions ): uint8c
 *
 * -   If a `dtype` option is not provided and `value`
 *
-*     -   is a `number`, the default data type is `'float64'`.
-*     -   is a complex number object, the default data type is `'complex128'`.
+*     -   is a `number`, the default data type is the default real-valued floating-point data type.
+*     -   is a complex number object of a known complex data type, the data type is the same as the provided value.
+*     -   is a complex number object of an unknown complex data type, the default data type is the default complex-valued floating-point data type.
 *     -   is any other value type, the default data type is `'generic'`.
 *
 * @param value - scalar value
diff --git a/from-scalar/lib/main.js b/from-scalar/lib/main.js
index 1ab3fd6c..8480f097 100644
--- a/from-scalar/lib/main.js
+++ b/from-scalar/lib/main.js
@@ -30,12 +30,15 @@ var setter = require( '@stdlib/array/base/setter' );
 var buffer = require( './../../base/buffer' );
 var ndarray = require( './../../ctor' );
 var defaults = require( './../../defaults' );
+var dtype = require( '@stdlib/complex/dtype' );
 var format = require( '@stdlib/string/format' );
 
 
 // VARIABLES //
 
 var ORDER = defaults.get( 'order' );
+var DEFAULT_REAL = defaults.get( 'dtypes.real_floating_point' );
+var DEFAULT_CMPLX = defaults.get( 'dtypes.complex_floating_point' );
 
 
 // MAIN //
@@ -47,8 +50,9 @@ var ORDER = defaults.get( 'order' );
 *
 * -   If a `dtype` option is not provided and `value`
 *
-*     -   is a `number`, the default data type is `'float64'`.
-*     -   is a complex number object, the default data type is `'complex128'`.
+*     -   is a `number`, the default data type is the default real-valued floating-point data type.
+*     -   is a complex number object of a known complex data type, the data type is the same as the provided value.
+*     -   is a complex number object of an unknown complex data type, the default data type is the default complex-valued floating-point data type.
 *     -   is any other value type, the default data type is `'generic'`.
 *
 * @param {*} value - scalar value
@@ -120,9 +124,12 @@ function scalar2ndarray( value ) {
 	flg = isNumber( value );
 	if ( opts.dtype === '' ) {
 		if ( flg ) {
-			dt = 'float64';
+			dt = DEFAULT_REAL;
 		} else if ( isComplexLike( value ) ) {
-			dt = 'complex128';
+			dt = dtype( value );
+			if ( dt === null ) {
+				dt = DEFAULT_CMPLX;
+			}
 		} else {
 			dt = 'generic';
 		}
diff --git a/from-scalar/test/test.js b/from-scalar/test/test.js
index 5ccb7759..ace56785 100644
--- a/from-scalar/test/test.js
+++ b/from-scalar/test/test.js
@@ -188,14 +188,14 @@ tape( 'the function returns a zero-dimensional ndarray (default, number)', funct
 	t.end();
 });
 
-tape( 'the function returns a zero-dimensional ndarray (default, complex)', function test( t ) {
+tape( 'the function returns a zero-dimensional ndarray (default, complex128)', function test( t ) {
 	var expected;
 	var arr;
 	var v;
 
 	expected = new Float64Array( [ 1.0, 2.0 ] );
 
-	v = new Complex64( 1.0, 2.0 );
+	v = new Complex128( 1.0, 2.0 );
 	arr = scalar2ndarray( v );
 
 	t.strictEqual( instanceOf( arr, ndarray ), true, 'returns expected value' );
@@ -209,6 +209,27 @@ tape( 'the function returns a zero-dimensional ndarray (default, complex)', func
 	t.end();
 });
 
+tape( 'the function returns a zero-dimensional ndarray (default, complex64)', function test( t ) {
+	var expected;
+	var arr;
+	var v;
+
+	expected = new Float32Array( [ 1.0, 2.0 ] );
+
+	v = new Complex64( 1.0, 2.0 );
+	arr = scalar2ndarray( v );
+
+	t.strictEqual( instanceOf( arr, ndarray ), true, 'returns expected value' );
+	t.strictEqual( arr.dtype, 'complex64', 'returns expected value' );
+	t.deepEqual( arr.shape, [], 'returns expected value' );
+	t.strictEqual( instanceOf( arr.data, Complex64Array ), true, 'returns expected value' );
+	t.deepEqual( reinterpret64( arr.data, 0 ), expected, 'returns expected value' );
+	t.strictEqual( arr.order, 'row-major', 'returns expected value' );
+	t.strictEqual( arr.length, 1, 'returns expected value' );
+
+	t.end();
+});
+
 tape( 'the function returns a zero-dimensional ndarray (default, other)', function test( t ) {
 	var expected;
 	var arr;