diff --git a/dart/dynamics/MetaSkeleton.h b/dart/dynamics/MetaSkeleton.h
index de952b38ddcb9..7d6041ea28ada 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/MetaSkeleton.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/MetaSkeleton.h
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ class MetaSkeleton : public common::Subject
   /// You can specify a coordinate Frame to express the Jabocian in.
   virtual math::LinearJacobian getLinearJacobianDeriv(
       const JacobianNode* _node,
-      const Eigen::Vector3d& _localOffset = Eigen::Vector3d::Zero(),
+      const Eigen::Vector3d& _localOffset,
       const Frame* _inCoordinatesOf = Frame::World()) const = 0;
 
   /// Get the angular Jacobian time derivative of a BodyNode. You can specify a
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/ReferentialSkeleton.h b/dart/dynamics/ReferentialSkeleton.h
index f7baeb0f8231f..eda06c81ed04d 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/ReferentialSkeleton.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/ReferentialSkeleton.h
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class ReferentialSkeleton : public MetaSkeleton
   // Documentation inherited
   math::LinearJacobian getLinearJacobianDeriv(
       const JacobianNode* _node,
-      const Eigen::Vector3d& _localOffset = Eigen::Vector3d::Zero(),
+      const Eigen::Vector3d& _localOffset,
       const Frame* _inCoordinatesOf = Frame::World()) const override;
 
   // Documentation inherited
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/Skeleton.h b/dart/dynamics/Skeleton.h
index 6ebc3c1f1f68a..6cf7952367c92 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/Skeleton.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/Skeleton.h
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ class Skeleton :  public virtual common::AddonManager,
   // Documentation inherited
   math::LinearJacobian getLinearJacobianDeriv(
       const JacobianNode* _node,
-      const Eigen::Vector3d& _localOffset = Eigen::Vector3d::Zero(),
+      const Eigen::Vector3d& _localOffset,
       const Frame* _inCoordinatesOf = Frame::World()) const override;
 
   // Documentation inherited
diff --git a/unittests/testSkeleton.cpp b/unittests/testSkeleton.cpp
index 76c3b3e7535db..02297778dc1ca 100644
--- a/unittests/testSkeleton.cpp
+++ b/unittests/testSkeleton.cpp
@@ -1223,6 +1223,20 @@ TEST(Skeleton, Configurations)
   EXPECT_TRUE(c2.mAccelerations.size() == 0);
 }
 
+TEST(Skeleton, LinearJacobianDerivOverload)
+{
+  // Regression test for #626: Make sure that getLinearJacobianDeriv's overload
+  // is working appropriately.
+  SkeletonPtr skeleton = createThreeLinkRobot(Vector3d::Ones(), DOF_PITCH,
+                                              Vector3d::Ones(), DOF_ROLL,
+                                              Vector3d::Ones(), DOF_YAW);
+
+  skeleton->getLinearJacobianDeriv(skeleton->getBodyNode(0));
+
+  LinkagePtr linkage = Branch::create(skeleton->getBodyNode(0));
+  linkage->getLinearJacobianDeriv(linkage->getBodyNode(0));
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
   ::testing::InitGoogleTest(&argc, argv);