diff --git a/lib/model.js b/lib/model.js
index aaf5e29f..51a59397 100644
--- a/lib/model.js
+++ b/lib/model.js
@@ -158,10 +158,18 @@ ModelBaseClass.prototype._initProperties = function (data, options) {
       var def = properties[p]['default'];
       if (def !== undefined) {
         if (typeof def === 'function') {
-          self.__data[p] = def();
-        } else {
-          self.__data[p] = def;
+          if (def === Date) {
+            // FIXME: We should coerce the value in general
+            // This is a work around to {default: Date}
+            // Date() will return a string instead of Date
+            def = new Date();
+          } else {
+            def = def();
+          }
         }
+        // FIXME: We should coerce the value
+        // will implement it after we refactor the PropertyDefinition
+        self.__data[p] = def;
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/test/loopback-dl.test.js b/test/loopback-dl.test.js
index d26647ce..3fa1ccd8 100644
--- a/test/loopback-dl.test.js
+++ b/test/loopback-dl.test.js
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ describe('DataSource define model', function () {
       name: String,
       bio: ModelBuilder.Text,
       approved: Boolean,
-      joinedAt: Date,
+      joinedAt: {type: Date, default: Date},
       age: Number
     });
 
@@ -280,6 +280,8 @@ describe('DataSource define model', function () {
     assert.equal(user.name, 'Joe');
     assert.equal(user.group, 'G1');
 
+    assert(user.joinedAt instanceof Date);
+
     // setup relationships
     User.hasMany(Post, {as: 'posts', foreignKey: 'userId'});