diff --git a/fastapi/encoders.py b/fastapi/encoders.py
index c9f882d2ba..e578768dac 100644
--- a/fastapi/encoders.py
+++ b/fastapi/encoders.py
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ def jsonable_encoder(
                     key,
                     by_alias=by_alias,
                     exclude_unset=exclude_unset,
+                    exclude_defaults=exclude_defaults,
                     exclude_none=exclude_none,
                     custom_encoder=custom_encoder,
                     sqlalchemy_safe=sqlalchemy_safe,
@@ -307,6 +308,7 @@ def jsonable_encoder(
                     value,
                     by_alias=by_alias,
                     exclude_unset=exclude_unset,
+                    exclude_defaults=exclude_defaults,
                     exclude_none=exclude_none,
                     custom_encoder=custom_encoder,
                     sqlalchemy_safe=sqlalchemy_safe,
diff --git a/tests/test_jsonable_encoder.py b/tests/test_jsonable_encoder.py
index c23a9e5d79..ec04d3ca2e 100644
--- a/tests/test_jsonable_encoder.py
+++ b/tests/test_jsonable_encoder.py
@@ -202,6 +202,19 @@ def test_encode_model_with_default():
     }
 
 
+def test_encode_model_with_default_in_container():
+    # exclude_defaults must be forwarded when recursing into dict values, just
+    # like it already is for list/tuple/set items.
+    model = ModelWithDefault(foo="foo", bar="bar")
+    assert jsonable_encoder([model], exclude_defaults=True) == [{"foo": "foo"}]
+    assert jsonable_encoder({"m": model}, exclude_defaults=True) == {
+        "m": {"foo": "foo"}
+    }
+    assert jsonable_encoder({"m": model}, exclude_unset=True) == {
+        "m": {"foo": "foo", "bar": "bar"}
+    }
+
+
 def test_custom_encoders():
     class safe_datetime(datetime):
         pass