diff --git a/src/core/symbology-ng/qgsfillsymbollayerv2.cpp b/src/core/symbology-ng/qgsfillsymbollayerv2.cpp
index d0d74b6efe2..d88498e7fb7 100644
--- a/src/core/symbology-ng/qgsfillsymbollayerv2.cpp
+++ b/src/core/symbology-ng/qgsfillsymbollayerv2.cpp
@@ -293,9 +293,9 @@ QgsGradientFillSymbolLayerV2::QgsGradientFillSymbolLayerV2( QColor color, QColor
     mGradientType( gradientType ),
     mCoordinateMode( coordinateMode ),
     mGradientSpread( spread ),
-    mReferencePoint1( QPointF( 0, 0 ) ),
+    mReferencePoint1( QPointF( 0.5, 0 ) ),
     mReferencePoint1IsCentroid( false ),
-    mReferencePoint2( QPointF( 1, 1 ) ),
+    mReferencePoint2( QPointF( 0.5, 1 ) ),
     mReferencePoint2IsCentroid( false ),
     mAngle( 0 ),
     mOffsetUnit( QgsSymbolV2::MM )
@@ -318,9 +318,9 @@ QgsSymbolLayerV2* QgsGradientFillSymbolLayerV2::create( const QgsStringMap& prop
   GradientSpread gradientSpread = QgsGradientFillSymbolLayerV2::Pad;
   //default to gradient from the default fill color to white
   QColor color = DEFAULT_SIMPLEFILL_COLOR, color2 = Qt::white;
-  QPointF referencePoint1 = QPointF( 0, 0 );
+  QPointF referencePoint1 = QPointF( 0.5, 0 );
   bool refPoint1IsCentroid = false;
-  QPointF referencePoint2 = QPointF( 1, 1 );
+  QPointF referencePoint2 = QPointF( 0.5, 1 );
   bool refPoint2IsCentroid = false;
   double angle = 0;
   QPointF offset;
diff --git a/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgssymbollayerv2widget.cpp b/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgssymbollayerv2widget.cpp
index 6b1145eecbf..832bccd71c6 100644
--- a/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgssymbollayerv2widget.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgssymbollayerv2widget.cpp
@@ -813,12 +813,26 @@ void QgsGradientFillSymbolLayerV2Widget::setGradientType( int index )
   {
     case 0:
       mLayer->setGradientType( QgsGradientFillSymbolLayerV2::Linear );
+      //set sensible default reference points
+      spinRefPoint1X->setValue( 0.5 );
+      spinRefPoint1Y->setValue( 0 );
+      spinRefPoint2X->setValue( 0.5 );
+      spinRefPoint2Y->setValue( 1 );
       break;
     case 1:
       mLayer->setGradientType( QgsGradientFillSymbolLayerV2::Radial );
+      //set sensible default reference points
+      spinRefPoint1X->setValue( 0 );
+      spinRefPoint1Y->setValue( 0 );
+      spinRefPoint2X->setValue( 1 );
+      spinRefPoint2Y->setValue( 1 );
       break;
     case 2:
       mLayer->setGradientType( QgsGradientFillSymbolLayerV2::Conical );
+      spinRefPoint1X->setValue( 0.5 );
+      spinRefPoint1Y->setValue( 0.5 );
+      spinRefPoint2X->setValue( 1 );
+      spinRefPoint2Y->setValue( 1 );
       break;
   }
   emit changed();
diff --git a/src/ui/symbollayer/widget_gradientfill.ui b/src/ui/symbollayer/widget_gradientfill.ui
index 30d9766a0d4..18ea29e90ed 100644
--- a/src/ui/symbollayer/widget_gradientfill.ui
+++ b/src/ui/symbollayer/widget_gradientfill.ui
@@ -207,6 +207,9 @@
        <property name="singleStep">
         <double>0.100000000000000</double>
        </property>
+       <property name="value">
+        <double>0.500000000000000</double>
+       </property>
       </widget>
      </item>
      <item>
@@ -276,7 +279,7 @@
         <double>0.100000000000000</double>
        </property>
        <property name="value">
-        <double>1.000000000000000</double>
+        <double>0.500000000000000</double>
        </property>
       </widget>
      </item>