diff --git a/app/models/issue_relation.rb b/app/models/issue_relation.rb
index 751ac3579..c66103c51 100644
--- a/app/models/issue_relation.rb
+++ b/app/models/issue_relation.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-# redMine - project management software
-# Copyright (C) 2006-2007  Jean-Philippe Lang
+# Redmine - project management software
+# Copyright (C) 2006-2011  Jean-Philippe Lang
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 # modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ class IssueRelation < ActiveRecord::Base
   
   attr_protected :issue_from_id, :issue_to_id
   
+  def after_initialize
+    if new_record?
+      if relation_type.blank?
+        self.relation_type = IssueRelation::TYPE_RELATES
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  
   def validate
     if issue_from && issue_to
       errors.add :issue_to_id, :invalid if issue_from_id == issue_to_id
diff --git a/test/unit/issue_relation_test.rb b/test/unit/issue_relation_test.rb
index 7f1581a26..3c8347b45 100644
--- a/test/unit/issue_relation_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/issue_relation_test.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Redmine - project management software
-# Copyright (C) 2006-2009  Jean-Philippe Lang
+# Copyright (C) 2006-2011  Jean-Philippe Lang
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 # modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ class IssueRelationTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     assert_equal to, relation.issue_to
   end
   
+  def test_create_minimum
+    relation = IssueRelation.new :issue_from => Issue.find(1), :issue_to => Issue.find(2)
+    assert relation.save
+    assert_equal IssueRelation::TYPE_RELATES, relation.relation_type
+  end
+  
   def test_follows_relation_should_be_reversed
     from = Issue.find(1)
     to = Issue.find(2)