diff --git a/src/connectors/hits-per-page/__tests__/__snapshots__/connectHitsPerPage-test.js.snap b/src/connectors/hits-per-page/__tests__/__snapshots__/connectHitsPerPage-test.js.snap
index 9f20568a55..8e44c7cfce 100644
--- a/src/connectors/hits-per-page/__tests__/__snapshots__/connectHitsPerPage-test.js.snap
+++ b/src/connectors/hits-per-page/__tests__/__snapshots__/connectHitsPerPage-test.js.snap
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ Array [
     "value": 10,
   },
   Object {
+    "default": true,
     "isRefined": true,
-    "label": "",
+    "label": "7 items per page",
     "value": 7,
   },
 ]
@@ -33,31 +34,10 @@ Array [
     "value": 10,
   },
   Object {
+    "default": true,
     "isRefined": false,
-    "label": "",
+    "label": "7 items per page",
     "value": 7,
   },
 ]
 `;
-
-exports[`connectHitsPerPage routing getWidgetSearchParameters should add the refinements according to the UI state provided 1`] = `
-SearchParameters {
-  "disjunctiveFacets": Array [],
-  "disjunctiveFacetsRefinements": Object {},
-  "facets": Array [],
-  "facetsExcludes": Object {},
-  "facetsRefinements": Object {},
-  "hierarchicalFacets": Array [],
-  "hierarchicalFacetsRefinements": Object {},
-  "hitsPerPage": 10,
-  "index": "",
-  "numericRefinements": Object {},
-  "tagRefinements": Array [],
-}
-`;
-
-exports[`connectHitsPerPage routing getWidgetState should add an entry equal to the refinement 1`] = `
-Object {
-  "hitsPerPage": 10,
-}
-`;
diff --git a/src/connectors/hits-per-page/__tests__/connectHitsPerPage-test.js b/src/connectors/hits-per-page/__tests__/connectHitsPerPage-test.js
index f10f3a6076..12819f273e 100644
--- a/src/connectors/hits-per-page/__tests__/connectHitsPerPage-test.js
+++ b/src/connectors/hits-per-page/__tests__/connectHitsPerPage-test.js
@@ -14,6 +14,33 @@ describe('connectHitsPerPage', () => {
       }).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(`
 "The \`items\` option expects an array of objects.
 
+See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-page/js/#connector"
+`);
+    });
+
+    it('throws with empty items', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        connectHitsPerPage(() => {})({
+          items: [],
+        });
+      }).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(`
+"A default value must be specified in \`items\`.
+
+See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-page/js/#connector"
+`);
+    });
+
+    it('throws without default item', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        connectHitsPerPage(() => {})({
+          items: [
+            { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+            { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
+          ],
+        });
+      }).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(`
+"A default value must be specified in \`items\`.
+
 See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-page/js/#connector"
 `);
     });
@@ -33,12 +60,25 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
 `);
     });
 
+    it('does not throw with items and one default value', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        connectHitsPerPage(() => {})({
+          items: [
+            { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
+            { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
+          ],
+        });
+      }).not.toThrow();
+    });
+
     it('is a widget', () => {
       const render = jest.fn();
       const unmount = jest.fn();
 
       const customHitsPerPage = connectHitsPerPage(render, unmount);
-      const widget = customHitsPerPage({ items: [] });
+      const widget = customHitsPerPage({
+        items: [{ label: '10 items per page', value: 10, default: true }],
+      });
 
       expect(widget).toEqual(
         expect.objectContaining({
@@ -59,13 +99,15 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
     const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn);
     const widget = makeWidget({
       items: [
-        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
         { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
       ],
     });
 
     expect(widget.getConfiguration(new SearchParameters({}))).toEqual(
-      new SearchParameters({})
+      new SearchParameters({
+        hitsPerPage: 3,
+      })
     );
 
     expect(renderFn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
@@ -86,7 +128,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
       expect.objectContaining({
         widgetParams: {
           items: [
-            { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+            { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
             { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
           ],
         },
@@ -106,7 +148,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
       expect.objectContaining({
         widgetParams: {
           items: [
-            { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+            { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
             { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
           ],
         },
@@ -120,7 +162,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
     const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn);
     const widget = makeWidget({
       items: [
-        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
         { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
       ],
       transformItems: items =>
@@ -200,21 +242,6 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
     );
   });
 
-  it('Does not configures the search when there is no default value', () => {
-    const renderFn = jest.fn();
-    const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn);
-    const widget = makeWidget({
-      items: [
-        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
-        { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(widget.getConfiguration(new SearchParameters({}))).toEqual(
-      new SearchParameters({})
-    );
-  });
-
   it('Provide a function to change the current hits per page, and provide the current value', () => {
     const renderFn = jest.fn();
     const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn);
@@ -222,7 +249,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
       items: [
         { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
         { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
-        { value: 11, label: '' },
+        { value: 11, label: '11 items per page', default: true },
       ],
     });
 
@@ -266,7 +293,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
       items: [
         { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
         { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
-        { value: 20, label: '20 items per page' },
+        { value: 20, label: '20 items per page', default: true },
       ],
     });
 
@@ -304,7 +331,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
       items: [
         { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
         { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
-        { value: 7, label: '' },
+        { value: 7, label: '7 items per page', default: true },
       ],
     });
 
@@ -339,7 +366,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
     const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn);
     const widget = makeWidget({
       items: [
-        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
         { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
       ],
     });
@@ -381,7 +408,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
     const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn);
     const widget = makeWidget({
       items: [
-        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
         { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
       ],
     });
@@ -423,7 +450,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
     const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn);
     const widget = makeWidget({
       items: [
-        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+        { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
         { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
       ],
     });
@@ -469,7 +496,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
       const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn, unmountFn);
       const widget = makeWidget({
         items: [
-          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
           { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
         ],
       });
@@ -488,7 +515,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
       const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn);
       const widget = makeWidget({
         items: [
-          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
           { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
         ],
       });
@@ -508,7 +535,7 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
       const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn, unmountFn);
       const widget = makeWidget({
         items: [
-          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page' },
+          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
           { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
         ],
       });
@@ -521,116 +548,113 @@ See documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/widgets/hits-per-pa
     });
   });
 
-  describe('routing', () => {
-    const getInitializedWidget = () => {
-      const renderFn = jest.fn();
-      const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(renderFn);
+  describe('getWidgetState', () => {
+    test('returns the `uiState` empty', () => {
+      const render = jest.fn();
+      const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(render);
+      const helper = algoliasearchHelper({}, 'indexName');
       const widget = makeWidget({
         items: [
           { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
-          { value: 10, label: '10 items per page' },
+          { value: 22, label: '22 items per page' },
         ],
       });
 
-      const helper = algoliasearchHelper(
+      const actual = widget.getWidgetState(
         {},
-        '',
-        widget.getConfiguration(new SearchParameters({}))
+        {
+          searchParameters: helper.state,
+        }
       );
-      helper.search = jest.fn();
-
-      widget.init({
-        helper,
-        state: helper.state,
-        createURL: () => '#',
-      });
 
-      const { refine } = renderFn.mock.calls[0][0];
+      expect(actual).toEqual({});
+    });
 
-      return [widget, helper, refine];
-    };
+    test('returns the `uiState` with a refinement', () => {
+      const render = jest.fn();
+      const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(render);
+      const helper = algoliasearchHelper({}, 'indexName', {
+        hitsPerPage: '22',
+      });
+      const widget = makeWidget({
+        items: [
+          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
+          { value: 22, label: '22 items per page' },
+        ],
+      });
 
-    describe('getWidgetState', () => {
-      test('should give back the object unmodified if there are no refinements', () => {
-        const [widget, helper] = getInitializedWidget();
-        const uiStateBefore = {};
-        const uiStateAfter = widget.getWidgetState(uiStateBefore, {
+      const actual = widget.getWidgetState(
+        {},
+        {
           searchParameters: helper.state,
-          helper,
-        });
+        }
+      );
 
-        expect(uiStateAfter).toBe(uiStateBefore);
+      expect(actual).toEqual({
+        hitsPerPage: 22,
       });
+    });
+  });
 
-      test('should not add an entry when the default value is selected', () => {
-        const [widget, helper] = getInitializedWidget();
-        helper.setQueryParameter('hitsPerPage', 3);
-        const uiStateBefore = {};
-        const uiStateAfter = widget.getWidgetState(uiStateBefore, {
-          searchParameters: helper.state,
-          helper,
-        });
+  describe('getWidgetSearchParameters', () => {
+    test('returns the `SearchParameters` with the default value', () => {
+      const render = jest.fn();
+      const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(render);
+      const helper = algoliasearchHelper({}, 'indexName');
+      const widget = makeWidget({
+        items: [
+          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
+          { value: 22, label: '22 items per page' },
+        ],
+      });
 
-        expect(uiStateAfter).toBe(uiStateBefore);
+      const actual = widget.getWidgetSearchParameters(helper.state, {
+        uiState: {},
       });
 
-      test('should add an entry equal to the refinement', () => {
-        const [widget, helper] = getInitializedWidget();
-        helper.setQueryParameter('hitsPerPage', 10);
-        const uiStateBefore = {};
-        const uiStateAfter = widget.getWidgetState(uiStateBefore, {
-          searchParameters: helper.state,
-          helper,
-        });
+      expect(actual.hitsPerPage).toEqual(3);
+    });
 
-        expect(uiStateAfter).toMatchSnapshot();
+    test('returns the `SearchParameters` with the value from `uiState`', () => {
+      const render = jest.fn();
+      const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(render);
+      const helper = algoliasearchHelper({}, 'indexName');
+      const widget = makeWidget({
+        items: [
+          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
+          { value: 22, label: '22 items per page' },
+        ],
       });
 
-      test('should give back the object unmodified if refinements are already set', () => {
-        const [widget, helper] = getInitializedWidget();
-        const uiStateBefore = {
-          hitsPerPage: 10,
-        };
-        helper.setQueryParameter('hitsPerPage', 10);
-        const uiStateAfter = widget.getWidgetState(uiStateBefore, {
-          searchParameters: helper.state,
-          helper,
-        });
-
-        expect(uiStateAfter).toBe(uiStateBefore);
+      const actual = widget.getWidgetSearchParameters(helper.state, {
+        uiState: {
+          hitsPerPage: 22,
+        },
       });
+
+      expect(actual.hitsPerPage).toEqual(22);
     });
 
-    describe('getWidgetSearchParameters', () => {
-      test('should return the same SP if there are no refinements in the UI state', () => {
-        const [widget, helper] = getInitializedWidget();
-        // The URL contains nothing
-        const uiState = {};
-        // The current search is empty
-        const searchParametersBefore = SearchParameters.make(helper.state);
-        const searchParametersAfter = widget.getWidgetSearchParameters(
-          searchParametersBefore,
-          { uiState }
-        );
-        // Applying the empty UI state should not create a new object
-        expect(searchParametersAfter).toBe(searchParametersBefore);
+    test('returns the `SearchParameters` with the value from `uiState` without the previous refinement', () => {
+      const render = jest.fn();
+      const makeWidget = connectHitsPerPage(render);
+      const helper = algoliasearchHelper({}, 'indexName', {
+        hitsPerPage: 22,
+      });
+      const widget = makeWidget({
+        items: [
+          { value: 3, label: '3 items per page', default: true },
+          { value: 22, label: '22 items per page' },
+        ],
       });
 
-      test('should add the refinements according to the UI state provided', () => {
-        const [widget, helper] = getInitializedWidget();
-        // The URL contains some values for the widget
-        const uiState = {
-          hitsPerPage: 10,
-        };
-        // Current the search is empty
-        const searchParametersBefore = SearchParameters.make(helper.state);
-        const searchParametersAfter = widget.getWidgetSearchParameters(
-          searchParametersBefore,
-          { uiState }
-        );
-        // Applying the UI state should add the new configuration
-        expect(searchParametersAfter).toMatchSnapshot();
+      const actual = widget.getWidgetSearchParameters(helper.state, {
+        uiState: {
+          hitsPerPage: 33,
+        },
       });
+
+      expect(actual.hitsPerPage).toEqual(33);
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/connectors/hits-per-page/connectHitsPerPage.js b/src/connectors/hits-per-page/connectHitsPerPage.js
index 1d22506068..d158877d68 100644
--- a/src/connectors/hits-per-page/connectHitsPerPage.js
+++ b/src/connectors/hits-per-page/connectHitsPerPage.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import {
   checkRendering,
   warning,
   createDocumentationMessageGenerator,
-  find,
   noop,
 } from '../../lib/utils';
 
@@ -108,25 +107,28 @@ export default function connectHitsPerPage(renderFn, unmountFn = noop) {
       );
     }
 
-    const defaultValues = items.filter(item => item.default);
-    if (defaultValues.length > 1) {
+    const defaultItems = items.filter(item => item.default === true);
+
+    if (defaultItems.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(
+        withUsage(`A default value must be specified in \`items\`.`)
+      );
+    }
+
+    if (defaultItems.length > 1) {
       throw new Error(
         withUsage('More than one default value is specified in `items`.')
       );
     }
 
-    const defaultValue = find(userItems, item => item.default === true);
+    const defaultItem = defaultItems[0];
 
     return {
       $$type: 'ais.hitsPerPage',
 
       getConfiguration(state) {
-        if (!defaultValue) {
-          return state;
-        }
-
         return state.setQueryParameters({
-          hitsPerPage: state.hitsPerPage || defaultValue.value,
+          hitsPerPage: state.hitsPerPage || defaultItem.value,
         });
       },
 
@@ -214,11 +216,8 @@ You may want to add another entry to the \`items\` option with this value.`
 
       getWidgetState(uiState, { searchParameters }) {
         const hitsPerPage = searchParameters.hitsPerPage;
-        if (
-          (defaultValue && hitsPerPage === defaultValue.value) ||
-          hitsPerPage === undefined ||
-          uiState.hitsPerPage === hitsPerPage
-        ) {
+
+        if (hitsPerPage === undefined) {
           return uiState;
         }
 
@@ -229,19 +228,9 @@ You may want to add another entry to the \`items\` option with this value.`
       },
 
       getWidgetSearchParameters(searchParameters, { uiState }) {
-        const hitsPerPage = uiState.hitsPerPage;
-        if (hitsPerPage)
-          return searchParameters.setQueryParameter(
-            'hitsPerPage',
-            uiState.hitsPerPage
-          );
-        if (defaultValue) {
-          return searchParameters.setQueryParameter(
-            'hitsPerPage',
-            defaultValue.value
-          );
-        }
-        return searchParameters.setQueryParameter('hitsPerPage', undefined);
+        return searchParameters.setQueryParameters({
+          hitsPerPage: uiState.hitsPerPage || defaultItem.value,
+        });
       },
     };
   };
diff --git a/src/widgets/hits-per-page/__tests__/__snapshots__/hits-per-page-test.js.snap b/src/widgets/hits-per-page/__tests__/__snapshots__/hits-per-page-test.js.snap
index 22428311ed..c2be197db1 100644
--- a/src/widgets/hits-per-page/__tests__/__snapshots__/hits-per-page-test.js.snap
+++ b/src/widgets/hits-per-page/__tests__/__snapshots__/hits-per-page-test.js.snap
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ exports[`hitsPerPage() calls twice render(<Selector props />, container) 1`] = `
     options={
       Array [
         Object {
+          "default": true,
           "isRefined": true,
           "label": "10 results",
           "value": 10,
diff --git a/src/widgets/hits-per-page/__tests__/hits-per-page-test.js b/src/widgets/hits-per-page/__tests__/hits-per-page-test.js
index 90fff33c11..a2347f2a39 100644
--- a/src/widgets/hits-per-page/__tests__/hits-per-page-test.js
+++ b/src/widgets/hits-per-page/__tests__/hits-per-page-test.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ describe('hitsPerPage()', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     container = document.createElement('div');
     items = [
-      { value: 10, label: '10 results' },
+      { value: 10, label: '10 results', default: true },
       { value: 20, label: '20 results' },
     ];
     cssClasses = {
@@ -61,14 +61,7 @@ describe('hitsPerPage()', () => {
     render.mockClear();
   });
 
-  it('does not configure the default hits per page if not specified', () => {
-    expect(typeof widget.getConfiguration).toEqual('function');
-    expect(widget.getConfiguration(new SearchParameters({}))).toEqual(
-      new SearchParameters({})
-    );
-  });
-
-  it('does configures the default hits per page if specified', () => {
+  it('configures the default hits per page', () => {
     const widgetWithDefaults = hitsPerPage({
       container: document.createElement('div'),
       items: [
diff --git a/stories/hits-per-page.stories.js b/stories/hits-per-page.stories.js
index b7316ff232..38a9153f92 100644
--- a/stories/hits-per-page.stories.js
+++ b/stories/hits-per-page.stories.js
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ storiesOf('HitsPerPage', module)
         instantsearch.widgets.hitsPerPage({
           container,
           items: [
-            { value: 3, label: '3 per page' },
-            { value: 4, label: '4 per page' },
+            { value: 3, label: '3 per page', default: true },
             { value: 5, label: '5 per page' },
             { value: 10, label: '10 per page' },
           ],
@@ -18,21 +17,6 @@ storiesOf('HitsPerPage', module)
       );
     })
   )
-  .add(
-    'with default hitPerPage to 5',
-    withHits(({ search, container, instantsearch }) => {
-      search.addWidget(
-        instantsearch.widgets.hitsPerPage({
-          container,
-          items: [
-            { value: 3, label: '3 per page' },
-            { value: 5, label: '5 per page', default: true },
-            { value: 10, label: '10 per page' },
-          ],
-        })
-      );
-    })
-  )
   .add(
     'with transformed items',
     withHits(({ search, container, instantsearch }) => {