diff --git a/app/Models/ReportTemplate.php b/app/Models/ReportTemplate.php
index 6e16011779..73909d0454 100644
--- a/app/Models/ReportTemplate.php
+++ b/app/Models/ReportTemplate.php
@@ -44,16 +44,22 @@ class ReportTemplate extends Model
         return $this->options[$property] ?? '0';
     }
 
-    public function radioValue(string $property, $value, $return)
+    public function radioValue(string $property, $value, $isDefault = false): bool
     {
         // @todo: this method feels more like "radioShouldBeChecked" or something...
         // @todo: improve the variable names...
 
-        if (array_has($this->options, $property) && $this->options[$property] === $value) {
-            return $return;
+        $propertyExists = array_has($this->options, $property);
+
+        if (!$propertyExists && $isDefault) {
+            return true;
         }
 
-        return null;
+        if ($propertyExists && $this->options[$property] === $value) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
     }
 
     public function selectValue(string $property, string $model = null)
@@ -80,9 +86,9 @@ class ReportTemplate extends Model
 
         // @todo: I think this was added to support the null object pattern
         // @todo: Check if this is still needed and if so, add a test for it (testParsingSelectValues()).
-       // if ($this->options[$property] === [null]) {
-       //     return null;
-       // }
+        // if ($this->options[$property] === [null]) {
+        //     return null;
+        // }
 
         // If a model is provided then we should ensure we only return
         // the ids of models that exist and are not deleted.
diff --git a/resources/views/reports/custom.blade.php b/resources/views/reports/custom.blade.php
index 09f0bc510f..c0c65d8727 100644
--- a/resources/views/reports/custom.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/reports/custom.blade.php
@@ -420,15 +420,15 @@
 
               <div class="col-md-9 col-md-offset-3">
                   <label class="form-control">
-                    {{ Form::radio('deleted_assets', '', $reportTemplate->radioValue('deleted_assets', null, true), ['aria-label'=>'deleted_assets', 'id'=>'deleted_assets_exclude_deleted'])}}
+                    {{ Form::radio('deleted_assets', '', $reportTemplate->radioValue('deleted_assets', '', true), ['aria-label'=>'deleted_assets', 'id'=>'deleted_assets_exclude_deleted'])}}
                     {{ trans('general.exclude_deleted') }}
                   </label>
                   <label class="form-control">
-                    {{ Form::radio('deleted_assets', '1', $reportTemplate->radioValue('deleted_assets', '1', '1'), ['aria-label'=>'deleted_assets', 'id'=>'deleted_assets_include_deleted']) }}
+                    {{ Form::radio('deleted_assets', '1', $reportTemplate->radioValue('deleted_assets', '1'), ['aria-label'=>'deleted_assets', 'id'=>'deleted_assets_include_deleted']) }}
                     {{ trans('general.include_deleted') }}
                   </label>
                   <label class="form-control">
-                  {{ Form::radio('deleted_assets', '0', $reportTemplate->radioValue('deleted_assets', '0', '1'), ['aria-label'=>'deleted_assets','id'=>'deleted_assets_only_deleted']) }}
+                  {{ Form::radio('deleted_assets', '0', $reportTemplate->radioValue('deleted_assets', '0'), ['aria-label'=>'deleted_assets','id'=>'deleted_assets_only_deleted']) }}
                     {{ trans('general.only_deleted') }}
                   </label>
               </div>
diff --git a/tests/Unit/ReportTemplateTest.php b/tests/Unit/ReportTemplateTest.php
index 5d404ff5da..0caebae04e 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/ReportTemplateTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/ReportTemplateTest.php
@@ -11,15 +11,16 @@ class ReportTemplateTest extends TestCase
 {
     public function testParsingValuesOnNonExistentReportTemplate()
     {
-        $this->markTestIncomplete();
+        // $this->markTestIncomplete();
 
         $unsavedTemplate = new ReportTemplate;
 
         // checkmarkValue()
         $this->assertEquals('1', $unsavedTemplate->checkmarkValue('is_a_checkbox_field'));
 
-        // @todo:
         // radioValue()
+        $this->assertFalse($unsavedTemplate->radioValue('value_on_unsaved_template', 'can_be_anything'));
+        $this->assertTrue($unsavedTemplate->radioValue('value_on_unsaved_template', 'can_be_anything', true));
 
         // selectValue()
         $this->assertNull($unsavedTemplate->selectValue('value_on_unsaved_template'));
@@ -62,14 +63,16 @@ class ReportTemplateTest extends TestCase
     public function testParsingRadioValue()
     {
         $template = ReportTemplate::factory()->create([
-            'options' => [
-                'is_a_radio_field' => null,
-            ],
+            'options' => ['property_that_exists' => '1'],
         ]);
 
-        $this->assertEquals('return_value', $template->radioValue('is_a_radio_field', null, 'return_value'));
-        $this->assertEquals(null, $template->radioValue('is_a_radio_field', 'another_value', 'return_value'));
-        $this->assertNull($template->radioValue('non_existent_key', '1', true));
+        $this->assertTrue($template->radioValue('property_that_exists', '1'));
+
+        // check non-existent key returns false
+        $this->assertFalse($template->radioValue('non_existent_property', 'doesnt_matter'));
+
+        // check default returns true
+        $this->assertTrue($template->radioValue('non_existent_property', 'doesnt_matter', true));
     }
 
     public function testParsingSelectValue()