diff --git a/awx/api/views/__init__.py b/awx/api/views/__init__.py
index d2670c09f5..f754906951 100644
--- a/awx/api/views/__init__.py
+++ b/awx/api/views/__init__.py
@@ -2509,7 +2509,7 @@ class JobTemplateSurveySpec(GenericAPIView):
                 ).format(
                     allowed_types=', '.join(JobTemplateSurveySpec.ALLOWED_TYPES.keys()), **context
                 )))
-            if 'default' in survey_item:
+            if 'default' in survey_item and survey_item['default'] != '':
                 if not isinstance(survey_item['default'], JobTemplateSurveySpec.ALLOWED_TYPES[qtype]):
                     type_label = 'string'
                     if qtype in ['integer', 'float']:
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/unit/api/test_views.py b/awx/main/tests/unit/api/test_views.py
index e2f1f5150b..db602e3b85 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/unit/api/test_views.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/unit/api/test_views.py
@@ -413,3 +413,11 @@ class TestSurveySpecValidation:
         spec['spec'][0].pop('type')
         r = JobTemplateSurveySpec._validate_spec_data(spec, {})
         assert "'type' missing from survey question 0" in r.data['error']
+
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('_type', ['integer', 'float'])
+    def test_survey_spec_element_number_empty_default(self, _type):
+        """ Assert that empty default is allowed for answer. """
+        spec = self.spec_from_element({'type': _type, 'default': ''})
+        r = JobTemplateSurveySpec._validate_spec_data(spec, {})
+        assert r is None