diff --git a/packages/react-dom-bindings/src/client/ReactDOMTextarea.js b/packages/react-dom-bindings/src/client/ReactDOMTextarea.js
index 544cee9952be9..c9862c9b00bef 100644
--- a/packages/react-dom-bindings/src/client/ReactDOMTextarea.js
+++ b/packages/react-dom-bindings/src/client/ReactDOMTextarea.js
@@ -61,12 +61,6 @@ export function validateTextareaProps(element: Element, props: Object) {
 export function updateTextarea(element: Element, props: Object) {
   const node: HTMLTextAreaElement = (element: any);
   const value = getToStringValue(props.value);
-  const defaultValue = getToStringValue(props.defaultValue);
-  if (defaultValue != null) {
-    node.defaultValue = toString(defaultValue);
-  } else {
-    node.defaultValue = '';
-  }
   if (value != null) {
     // Cast `value` to a string to ensure the value is set correctly. While
     // browsers typically do this as necessary, jsdom doesn't.
@@ -76,10 +70,19 @@ export function updateTextarea(element: Element, props: Object) {
       node.value = newValue;
     }
     // TOOO: This should respect disableInputAttributeSyncing flag.
-    if (props.defaultValue == null && node.defaultValue !== newValue) {
-      node.defaultValue = newValue;
+    if (props.defaultValue == null) {
+      if (node.defaultValue !== newValue) {
+        node.defaultValue = newValue;
+      }
+      return;
     }
   }
+  const defaultValue = getToStringValue(props.defaultValue);
+  if (defaultValue != null) {
+    node.defaultValue = toString(defaultValue);
+  } else {
+    node.defaultValue = '';
+  }
 }
 
 export function initTextarea(element: Element, props: Object) {
diff --git a/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMTextarea-test.js b/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMTextarea-test.js
index 396eef8d6d34e..347942234063d 100644
--- a/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMTextarea-test.js
+++ b/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMTextarea-test.js
@@ -603,6 +603,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMTextarea', () => {
               ref={n => (node = n)}
               value="foo"
               onChange={emptyFunction}
+              data-count={this.state.count}
             />
           </div>
         );