diff --git a/include/vrv/pitchinterface.h b/include/vrv/pitchinterface.h
index 15226365474..72b0d42a029 100644
--- a/include/vrv/pitchinterface.h
+++ b/include/vrv/pitchinterface.h
@@ -38,6 +38,15 @@ class PitchInterface : public Interface, public AttNoteGes, public AttOctave, pu
     InterfaceId IsInterface() const override { return INTERFACE_PITCH; }
     ///@}
 
+    /**
+     * @name Set and get the default octave
+     */
+    ///@{
+    void SetOctDefault(data_OCTAVE oct) { m_octDefault = oct; }
+    data_OCTAVE GetOctDefault() const { return m_octDefault; }
+    bool HasOctDefault() const { return (m_octDefault != MEI_UNSET_OCT); }
+    ///@}
+
     /**
      * Interface comparison operator.
      * Checks if the LayerElement has a PitchInterface and compares attributes
@@ -90,7 +99,10 @@ class PitchInterface : public Interface, public AttNoteGes, public AttOctave, pu
 public:
     //
 private:
-    //
+    /**
+     * The default octave: extracted from scoreDef/staffDef and used when no octave attribute is given
+     */
+    data_OCTAVE m_octDefault;
 };
 
 } // namespace vrv
diff --git a/src/calcalignmentpitchposfunctor.cpp b/src/calcalignmentpitchposfunctor.cpp
index 121ec4b643f..697ea7bf548 100644
--- a/src/calcalignmentpitchposfunctor.cpp
+++ b/src/calcalignmentpitchposfunctor.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,10 @@ namespace vrv {
 // CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor::CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor(Doc *doc) : DocFunctor(doc) {}
+CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor::CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor(Doc *doc) : DocFunctor(doc)
+{
+    m_octDefault = MEI_UNSET_OCT;
+}
 
 FunctorCode CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor::VisitLayerElement(LayerElement *layerElement)
 {
@@ -38,6 +41,15 @@ FunctorCode CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor::VisitLayerElement(LayerElement *layerE
     Layer *layerY = vrv_cast<Layer *>(layerElement->GetFirstAncestor(LAYER));
     assert(layerY);
 
+    PitchInterface *pitchInterface = layerElement->GetPitchInterface();
+    if (pitchInterface) {
+        pitchInterface->SetOctDefault(m_octDefault);
+        // Check if there is a octave default for the staff - ignore cross-staff for this and use staffY
+        if (m_octDefaultForStaffN.count(staffY->GetN()) > 0) {
+            pitchInterface->SetOctDefault(m_octDefaultForStaffN.at(staffY->GetN()));
+        }
+    }
+
     if (layerElement->m_crossStaff && layerElement->m_crossLayer) {
         layerElementY = layerElement->m_crossLayer->GetAtPos(layerElement->GetDrawingX());
         staffY = layerElement->m_crossStaff;
@@ -95,7 +107,7 @@ FunctorCode CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor::VisitLayerElement(LayerElement *layerE
             loc = staffY->m_drawingTuning->CalcPitchPos(
                 note->GetTabCourse(), staffY->m_drawingNotationType, staffY->m_drawingLines);
         }
-        else if ((note->HasPname() && note->HasOct()) || note->HasLoc()) {
+        else if ((note->HasPname() && (note->HasOct() || note->HasOctDefault())) || note->HasLoc()) {
             loc = PitchInterface::CalcLoc(note, layerY, layerElementY);
         }
         int yRel = staffY->CalcPitchPosYRel(m_doc, loc);
@@ -314,7 +326,6 @@ FunctorCode CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor::VisitLayerElement(LayerElement *layerE
     return FUNCTOR_CONTINUE;
 }
 
-
 FunctorCode CalcAlignmentPitchPosFunctor::VisitScore(Score *score)
 {
     ScoreDef *scoreDef = score->GetScoreDef();
diff --git a/src/pitchinterface.cpp b/src/pitchinterface.cpp
index 04fa9596152..893e928d57d 100644
--- a/src/pitchinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/pitchinterface.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ void PitchInterface::Reset()
     this->ResetOctave();
     this->ResetPitch();
     this->ResetPitchGes();
+
+    m_octDefault = MEI_UNSET_OCT;
 }
 
 bool PitchInterface::HasIdenticalPitchInterface(const PitchInterface *otherPitchInterface) const
@@ -155,13 +157,14 @@ int PitchInterface::CalcLoc(
         if (note->HasLoc()) {
             return note->GetLoc();
         }
-        else if (note->HasPname() && note->HasOct()) {
+        else if (note->HasPname() && (note->HasOct() || note->HasOctDefault())) {
             int offset = layer->GetClefLocOffset(crossStaffElement);
             const Layer *parentLayer = vrv_cast<const Layer *>(layerElement->GetFirstAncestor(LAYER));
             if (parentLayer != layer) {
                 offset = parentLayer->GetCrossStaffClefLocOffset(layerElement, offset);
             }
-            return PitchInterface::CalcLoc(note->GetPname(), note->GetOct(), offset);
+            const data_OCTAVE oct = (note->HasOct()) ? note->GetOct() : note->GetOctDefault();
+            return PitchInterface::CalcLoc(note->GetPname(), oct, offset);
         }
         else {
             return 0;