So let's say at the last minute (in the view) I decide I want to specify a default for a field and make it hidden, like so: form.fields['coconut'] = forms.ModelChoiceField(label="", widget=forms.HiddenInput(), queryset=swallow.coconuts.all(), initial=some_particular_coconut) My question is this: Do I really need to specify queryset here? I mean, I already know, from initial, exactly which coconut I'm talking about. Why do I also need to specify that the universe of available coconuts is the set of coconuts which this particular swallow carried (by the husk)? Is there a way I can refrain from specifying queryset? Simply omitting causes django to raise TypeError. If indeed it is required, isn't this a bit damp?