diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/Functions.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/Functions.java
index 61611ad72b..20802057e0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/Functions.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/Functions.java
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ public class Functions {
     /**
      * If the value exists, return that value. Otherwise return the default value.
      * <p>
-     * This method is useful for supplying a default value to a form field.
+     * Starting 1.294, JEXL supports the elvis operator "x?:y" that supercedes this.
      *
      * @since 1.150
      */
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/hudson/model/LoadStatistics/main.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/hudson/model/LoadStatistics/main.jelly
index 6ba854d270..9c05b51f83 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/hudson/model/LoadStatistics/main.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/hudson/model/LoadStatistics/main.jelly
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
     <img src="${imagesURL}/48x48/monitor.gif" alt=""/>
     ${%title(it.displayName)}
   </h1>
-  <j:set var="type" value="${h.defaulted(request.getParameter('type'),'min')}" />
+  <j:set var="type" value="${request.getParameter('type') ?: 'min'}" />
   <div>
     ${%Timespan}:
     <j:choose>
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
       </j:otherwise>
     </j:choose>
   </div>  
-  <img src="${h.defaulted(prefix,'loadStatistics')}/graph?type=${type}&amp;width=500&amp;height=300" />
+  <img src="${prefix?:'loadStatistics'}/graph?type=${type}&amp;width=500&amp;height=300" />
   <div style="margin-top: 2em;">
     ${%blurb}
   </div>
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/descriptorList.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/descriptorList.jelly
index 96bc4183b3..8b9b81eff5 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/descriptorList.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/descriptorList.jelly
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
     </st:attribute>
   </st:documentation>
 
-  <j:set var="targetType" value="${h.defaulted(attrs.targetType,it.class)}"/>
+  <j:set var="targetType" value="${attrs.targetType ?: it.class}"/>
   <j:set var="instances" value="${attrs.instances ?: instance[field]}"/>
 
-  <f:section title="${attrs.title}" name="${h.defaulted(attrs.field,attrs.name)}">
+  <f:section title="${attrs.title}" name="${attrs.field?:attrs.name}">
     <j:if test="${attrs.field!=null}">
       <tr>
         <td>
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/descriptorRadioList.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/descriptorRadioList.jelly
index 71a632938b..076da47124 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/descriptorRadioList.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/descriptorRadioList.jelly
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
     </st:attribute>
   </st:documentation>
 
-  <j:set var="targetType" value="${h.defaulted(attrs.targetType,it.class)}"/>
+  <j:set var="targetType" value="${attrs.targetType?:it.class}"/>
   <f:section title="${attrs.title}">
     <d:invokeBody />
 	  <j:forEach var="d" items="${descriptors}" varStatus="loop">
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/expandableTextbox.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/expandableTextbox.jelly
index 54df53c37b..de42c3e691 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/expandableTextbox.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/expandableTextbox.jelly
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
       which is the recommended approach.
     </st:attribute>
   </st:documentation>
-  <j:set var="value" value="${h.defaulted(attrs.value,instance[attrs.field])}" />
+  <j:set var="value" value="${attrs.value?:instance[attrs.field]}" />
   <j:choose>
     <j:when test="${h.isMultiline(value)}">
       <!-- multiline text area to begin with -->
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
       <table border="0" style="width:100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
         <tr>
           <td width="*">
-            <j:set var="name" value="${h.defaulted(attrs.name,'_.'+attrs.field)}" />
+            <j:set var="name" value="${attrs.name ?: '_.'+attrs.field}" />
             <input class="setting-input" type="text"
                    name ="${name}" value="${value}"
                    id="textarea.${name}" />
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/hetero-list.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/hetero-list.jelly
index 673167ef1a..3a3d2423f6 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/hetero-list.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/hetero-list.jelly
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
     </d:tag>
   </d:taglib>
 
-  <j:set var="targetType" value="${h.defaulted(attrs.targetType,it.class)}"/>
+  <j:set var="targetType" value="${attrs.targetType?:it.class}"/>
   <div class="hetero-list-container ${attrs.hasHeader!=null?'with-drag-drop':''}">
     <!-- display existing items -->
     <j:forEach var="i" items="${attrs.items}">
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
     </div>
 
     <div>
-      <input type="button" value="${h.defaulted(attrs.addCaption,'Add')}" class="hetero-list-add" />
+      <input type="button" value="${attrs.addCaption?:'Add'}" class="hetero-list-add" />
     </div>
   </div>
 </j:jelly>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/password.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/password.jelly
index 838541ffd5..a0b77d802c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/password.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/password.jelly
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
   </st:documentation>
   <f:prepareDatabinding />
   <input class="setting-input ${attrs.checkUrl!=null?'validated':''}"
-         name ="${h.defaulted(attrs.name,'_.'+attrs.field)}"
-         value="${h.defaulted(attrs.value,instance[attrs.field])}"
+         name ="${attrs.name ?: '_.'+attrs.field}"
+         value="${attrs.value ?: instance[attrs.field]}"
          id="${attrs.id}"
          type="password"
          checkUrl="${attrs.checkUrl}" checkMethod="${attrs.checkMethod}"
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/repeatableDeleteButton.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/repeatableDeleteButton.jelly
index 38b8c30977..a05c7efa9e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/repeatableDeleteButton.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/repeatableDeleteButton.jelly
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 
   As of 1.91, left for backward compatibility.
 -->
-<input type="button" value="${h.defaulted(attrs.value,'%Delete')}"
+<input type="button" value="${attrs.value ?: '%Delete'}"
        class="repeatable-delete" />
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/submit.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/submit.jelly
index 87d2a8e978..87b025115a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/submit.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/submit.jelly
@@ -36,5 +36,5 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
       The text of the submit button. Something like "submit", "OK", etc.
     </s:attribute>
   </s:documentation>
-  <input type="submit" name="${h.defaulted(attrs.name,'Submit')}" value="${attrs.value}" class="submit-button" />
+  <input type="submit" name="${attrs.name ?: 'Submit'}" value="${attrs.value}" class="submit-button" />
 </j:jelly>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/textarea.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/textarea.jelly
index d4a0de5f74..027160656a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/textarea.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/textarea.jelly
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 
   <f:prepareDatabinding />
   <textarea id="${attrs.id}" style="${attrs.style}"
-            name ="${h.defaulted(attrs.name,'_.'+attrs.field)}"
+            name ="${attrs.name ?: '_.'+attrs.field}"
             class="setting-input ${checkUrl!=null?'validated':''}"
             checkUrl="${checkUrl}"
             rows="${h.determineRows(attrs.value)}">
-    <st:out value="${h.defaulted(attrs.value,instance[attrs.field])}" />
+    <st:out value="${attrs.value ?: instance[attrs.field]}" />
   </textarea>
   <!-- resize handle -->
   <div class="textarea-handle"/>
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/textbox.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/textbox.jelly
index bd0a314379..88111ad9c4 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/textbox.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/lib/form/textbox.jelly
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
   </st:documentation>
   <f:prepareDatabinding />
   <input class="setting-input ${attrs.checkUrl!=null?'validated':''}"
-         name ="${h.defaulted(attrs.name,'_.'+attrs.field)}"
-         value="${h.defaulted(attrs.value,instance[attrs.field])}"
+         name ="${attrs.name ?: '_.'+attrs.field}"
+         value="${attrs.value ?: instance[attrs.field]}"
          id="${attrs.id}"
          type="text"
          checkUrl="${attrs.checkUrl}" checkMethod="${attrs.checkMethod}"