diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -5942,6 +5942,15 @@ def push(ui, repo, dest=None, **opts):
         if not revs:
             raise error.Abort(_("specified revisions evaluate to an empty set"),
                              hint=_("use different revision arguments"))
+    elif path.pushrev:
+        # It doesn't make any sense to specify ancestor revisions. So limit
+        # to DAG heads to make discovery simpler.
+        expr = revset.formatspec('heads(%r)', path.pushrev)
+        revs = scmutil.revrange(repo, [expr])
+        revs = [repo[rev].node() for rev in revs]
+        if not revs:
+            raise error.Abort(_('default push revset for path evaluates to an '
+                                'empty set'))
 
     repo._subtoppath = dest
     try:
diff --git a/mercurial/help/config.txt b/mercurial/help/config.txt
--- a/mercurial/help/config.txt
+++ b/mercurial/help/config.txt
@@ -1282,6 +1282,18 @@ The following sub-options can be defined
    The URL to use for push operations. If not defined, the location
    defined by the path's main entry is used.
 
+``pushrev``
+   A revset defining which revisions to push by default.
+
+   When :hg:`push` is executed without a ``-r`` argument, the revset
+   defined by this sub-option is evaluated to determine what to push.
+
+   For example, a value of ``.`` will push the working directory's
+   revision by default.
+
+   Revsets specifying bookmarks will not result in the bookmark being
+   pushed.
+
 The following special named paths exist:
 
 ``default``
diff --git a/mercurial/ui.py b/mercurial/ui.py
--- a/mercurial/ui.py
+++ b/mercurial/ui.py
@@ -1281,6 +1281,10 @@ def pushurlpathoption(ui, path, value):
 
     return str(u)
 
+@pathsuboption('pushrev', 'pushrev')
+def pushrevpathoption(ui, path, value):
+    return value
+
 class path(object):
     """Represents an individual path and its configuration."""
 
diff --git a/tests/test-default-push.t b/tests/test-default-push.t
--- a/tests/test-default-push.t
+++ b/tests/test-default-push.t
@@ -105,4 +105,43 @@ Windows needs a leading slash to make a 
   adding file changes
   added 1 changesets with 1 changes to 1 files
 
+:pushrev is used when no -r is passed
+
+  $ cat >> .hg/hgrc << EOF
+  > default:pushrev = .
+  > EOF
+  $ hg -q up -r 0
+  $ echo head1 > foo
+  $ hg -q commit -A -m head1
+  $ hg -q up -r 0
+  $ echo head2 > foo
+  $ hg -q commit -A -m head2
+  $ hg push -f
+  pushing to file:/*/$TESTTMP/pushurlsource/../pushurldest (glob)
+  searching for changes
+  adding changesets
+  adding manifests
+  adding file changes
+  added 1 changesets with 1 changes to 1 files (+1 heads)
+
+  $ hg --config 'paths.default:pushrev=draft()' push -f
+  pushing to file:/*/$TESTTMP/pushurlsource/../pushurldest (glob)
+  searching for changes
+  adding changesets
+  adding manifests
+  adding file changes
+  added 1 changesets with 1 changes to 1 files (+1 heads)
+
+Invalid :pushrev raises appropriately
+
+  $ hg --config 'paths.default:pushrev=notdefined()' push
+  pushing to file:/*/$TESTTMP/pushurlsource/../pushurldest (glob)
+  hg: parse error: unknown identifier: notdefined
+  [255]
+
+  $ hg --config 'paths.default:pushrev=(' push
+  pushing to file:/*/$TESTTMP/pushurlsource/../pushurldest (glob)
+  hg: parse error at 1: not a prefix: end
+  [255]
+
   $ cd ..
diff --git a/tests/test-help.t b/tests/test-help.t
--- a/tests/test-help.t
+++ b/tests/test-help.t
@@ -1515,6 +1515,18 @@ Test section lookup
          The URL to use for push operations. If not defined, the location
          defined by the path's main entry is used.
   
+      "pushrev"
+         A revset defining which revisions to push by default.
+  
+         When 'hg push' is executed without a "-r" argument, the revset defined
+         by this sub-option is evaluated to determine what to push.
+  
+         For example, a value of "." will push the working directory's revision
+         by default.
+  
+         Revsets specifying bookmarks will not result in the bookmark being
+         pushed.
+  
       The following special named paths exist:
   
       "default"