diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/conf.py b/python/pyspark/sql/conf.py
index d929834aeeaa..b82224b6194e 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/conf.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/conf.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 import sys
 
-from pyspark import since
+from pyspark import since, _NoValue
 from pyspark.rdd import ignore_unicode_prefix
 
 
@@ -39,15 +39,16 @@ def set(self, key, value):
 
     @ignore_unicode_prefix
     @since(2.0)
-    def get(self, key, default=None):
+    def get(self, key, default=_NoValue):
         """Returns the value of Spark runtime configuration property for the given key,
         assuming it is set.
         """
         self._checkType(key, "key")
-        if default is None:
+        if default is _NoValue:
             return self._jconf.get(key)
         else:
-            self._checkType(default, "default")
+            if default is not None:
+                self._checkType(default, "default")
             return self._jconf.get(key, default)
 
     @ignore_unicode_prefix
diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/context.py b/python/pyspark/sql/context.py
index 6cb90399dd61..e9ec7ba86676 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/context.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/context.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 if sys.version >= '3':
     basestring = unicode = str
 
-from pyspark import since
+from pyspark import since, _NoValue
 from pyspark.rdd import ignore_unicode_prefix
 from pyspark.sql.session import _monkey_patch_RDD, SparkSession
 from pyspark.sql.dataframe import DataFrame
@@ -124,11 +124,11 @@ def setConf(self, key, value):
 
     @ignore_unicode_prefix
     @since(1.3)
-    def getConf(self, key, defaultValue=None):
+    def getConf(self, key, defaultValue=_NoValue):
         """Returns the value of Spark SQL configuration property for the given key.
 
-        If the key is not set and defaultValue is not None, return
-        defaultValue. If the key is not set and defaultValue is None, return
+        If the key is not set and defaultValue is set, return
+        defaultValue. If the key is not set and defaultValue is not set, return
         the system default value.
 
         >>> sqlContext.getConf("spark.sql.shuffle.partitions")
diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py b/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
index 480815d27333..a0d547ad620e 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
@@ -2504,6 +2504,17 @@ def test_conf(self):
         spark.conf.unset("bogo")
         self.assertEqual(spark.conf.get("bogo", "colombia"), "colombia")
 
+        self.assertEqual(spark.conf.get("hyukjin", None), None)
+
+        # This returns 'STATIC' because it's the default value of
+        # 'spark.sql.sources.partitionOverwriteMode', and `defaultValue` in
+        # `spark.conf.get` is unset.
+        self.assertEqual(spark.conf.get("spark.sql.sources.partitionOverwriteMode"), "STATIC")
+
+        # This returns None because 'spark.sql.sources.partitionOverwriteMode' is unset, but
+        # `defaultValue` in `spark.conf.get` is set to None.
+        self.assertEqual(spark.conf.get("spark.sql.sources.partitionOverwriteMode", None), None)
+
     def test_current_database(self):
         spark = self.spark
         spark.catalog._reset()