diff --git a/rest_framework/serializers.py b/rest_framework/serializers.py
index c0c810ab9..b22ca5783 100644
--- a/rest_framework/serializers.py
+++ b/rest_framework/serializers.py
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ class BaseSerializer(WritableField):
 
         return ret
 
-    def from_native(self, data, files):
+    def from_native(self, data, files=None):
         """
         Deserialize primitives -> objects.
         """