diff --git a/bindings/interface/MenuItem.cpp b/bindings/interface/MenuItem.cpp
index 2f2fe32..2697109 100644
--- a/bindings/interface/MenuItem.cpp
+++ b/bindings/interface/MenuItem.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(MenuItem,m)
 //m.attr("MenuItemPrivate") = MenuItemPrivate;
 
 py::class_<BMenuItem, PyBMenuItem, BInvoker, std::unique_ptr<BMenuItem, py::nodelete>>(m, "BMenuItem")
-.def(py::init<const char *, BMessage *, char, unsigned int>(), "", py::arg("label"), py::arg("message"), py::arg("shortcut")=0, py::arg("modifiers")=0)
+.def(py::init<const char *, BMessage *, char, unsigned int>(), "", py::arg("label"), py::arg("message"), py::arg("shortcut")='\0', py::arg("modifiers")=0)
 .def(py::init<BMenu *, BMessage *>(), "", py::arg("menu"), py::arg("message")=NULL)
 .def(py::init<BMessage *>(), "", py::arg("data"))
 .def_static("Instantiate", &BMenuItem::Instantiate, "", py::arg("archive"))
diff --git a/tests/menuItemShortcutDefault.py b/tests/menuItemShortcutDefault.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3becd2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/menuItemShortcutDefault.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import gc
+
+from Be import BMenuItem, BMessage
+
+
+message = BMessage(0x716D6903)
+
+item = BMenuItem(
+    "default shortcut",
+    message,
+)
+
+if item.Label() != "default shortcut":
+    raise RuntimeError(
+        f"unexpected menu item label: {item.Label()!r}"
+    )
+
+del item
+del message
+
+gc.collect()
+
+print("BMENUITEM DEFAULT SHORTCUT REGRESSION TEST: PASS")