diff --git a/src/app-utils/app-utils.scm b/src/app-utils/app-utils.scm
index c62e93ac7b..0afe7eb12f 100644
--- a/src/app-utils/app-utils.scm
+++ b/src/app-utils/app-utils.scm
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
 (export gnc:option-value-get-index)
 (export gnc:option-number-of-indices)
 (export gnc:option-default-value)
+(export gnc:option-set-default-value)
 (export gnc:restore-form-generator)
 (export gnc:value->string)
 (export gnc:make-string-option)
diff --git a/src/app-utils/options.scm b/src/app-utils/options.scm
index 1019dfd406..276174d476 100644
--- a/src/app-utils/options.scm
+++ b/src/app-utils/options.scm
@@ -177,6 +177,17 @@
   (let ((getter (gnc:option-default-getter option)))
     (getter)))
 
+;; Attention: this function can only be used with restrictions
+;; - only during option generation, not in arbitrary code
+;; - only for option types for which no conversion is required
+;;   between default-value and value. In the various gnc:make-option
+;;   functions below this is ok when
+;;   1. there's (value default-value) in the let* call
+;;   2. default-getter is set to (lambda() default-value)
+(define (gnc:option-set-default-value option default-value)
+  (vector-set! option 7 (lambda() default-value))
+  (gnc:option-set-value option default-value))
+
 
 (define (gnc:restore-form-generator value->string)
   (lambda () (string-append
diff --git a/src/report/standard-reports/general-journal.scm b/src/report/standard-reports/general-journal.scm
index b957e9058d..9293512345 100644
--- a/src/report/standard-reports/general-journal.scm
+++ b/src/report/standard-reports/general-journal.scm
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 	 )
     
     (define (set-option! section name value)
-      (gnc:option-set-value 
+      (gnc:option-set-default-value
        (gnc:lookup-option options section name) value))
     
     ;; Match, by default, all non-void transactions ever recorded in
diff --git a/src/report/standard-reports/general-ledger.scm b/src/report/standard-reports/general-ledger.scm
index 5da37fe53c..02294a43b6 100644
--- a/src/report/standard-reports/general-ledger.scm
+++ b/src/report/standard-reports/general-ledger.scm
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
     
     (define pagename-sorting (N_ "Sorting"))
     (define (set-option! section name value)
-      (gnc:option-set-value 
+      (gnc:option-set-default-value
        (gnc:lookup-option options section name) value))
     
     ;; set options in the accounts tab...