diff --git a/docs/rh-log.txt b/docs/rh-log.txt
index 71d3e0c66..0af7cd95a 100644
--- a/docs/rh-log.txt
+++ b/docs/rh-log.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+March 12, 2007
+- Changed the default player.startitem amount from 0 to 1.
+
 March 9, 2007
 - Converted the TTY startup screen to a class for Linux.
 
diff --git a/src/thingdef.cpp b/src/thingdef.cpp
index 96121ead2..194be23a9 100644
--- a/src/thingdef.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef.cpp
@@ -3995,11 +3995,11 @@ static void PlayerStartItem (APlayerPawn *defaults, Baggage &bag)
 
 	SC_MustGetString();
 	di->Name = sc_String;
-	di->probability=255;
-	di->amount=0;
+	di->probability = 255;
+	di->amount = 1;
 	if (CheckNumParm())
 	{
-		di->amount=sc_Number;
+		di->amount = sc_Number;
 	}
 	di->Next = bag.DropItemList;
 	bag.DropItemList = di;