diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8d7b64d..219df32 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "author": "Transcend Inc.",
   "name": "@transcend-io/type-utils",
   "description": "Small package containing useful typescript utilities.",
-  "version": "1.8.3",
+  "version": "1.8.4",
   "homepage": "https://github.com/transcend-io/type-utils",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/src/codecTools/createDefaultCodec.ts b/src/codecTools/createDefaultCodec.ts
index 051dba6..e68f0ee 100644
--- a/src/codecTools/createDefaultCodec.ts
+++ b/src/codecTools/createDefaultCodec.ts
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export const createDefaultCodec = <C extends t.Mixed>(
   }
 
   // The default of an object type is an empty object
-  if (codec instanceof t.ObjectType) {
+  if (codec instanceof t.ObjectType || codec instanceof t.UnknownType) {
     return {} as t.TypeOf<C>;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/tests/createDefaultCodec.test.ts b/src/tests/createDefaultCodec.test.ts
index 18a8e88..f4cea11 100644
--- a/src/tests/createDefaultCodec.test.ts
+++ b/src/tests/createDefaultCodec.test.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ describe('buildDefaultCodec', () => {
     expect(defaultCodec).to.deep.equal({});
   });
 
+  it('should correctly build a default codec for an UnknownType', () => {
+    const codec = t.unknown;
+    const defaultCodec = createDefaultCodec(codec);
+    expect(defaultCodec).to.deep.equal({});
+  });
+
   it('should correctly build a default codec for a union with null', () => {
     const result = createDefaultCodec(t.union([t.string, t.null]));
     // should default to null if the union contains null