diff --git a/mapstructure.go b/mapstructure.go
index 1cd6204..05bc140 100644
--- a/mapstructure.go
+++ b/mapstructure.go
@@ -278,6 +278,10 @@ type DecoderConfig struct {
 	// field name or tag. Defaults to `strings.EqualFold`. This can be used
 	// to implement case-sensitive tag values, support snake casing, etc.
 	MatchName func(mapKey, fieldName string) bool
+
+	// DecodeNil, if set to true, will cause the DecodeHook (if present) to run
+	// even if the input is nil. This can be used to provide default values.
+	DecodeNil bool
 }
 
 // A Decoder takes a raw interface value and turns it into structured
@@ -451,6 +455,8 @@ func (d *Decoder) decode(name string, input interface{}, outVal reflect.Value) e
 		}
 	}
 
+	decodeNil := d.config.DecodeNil && d.config.DecodeHook != nil
+
 	if input == nil {
 		// If the data is nil, then we don't set anything, unless ZeroFields is set
 		// to true.
@@ -461,17 +467,27 @@ func (d *Decoder) decode(name string, input interface{}, outVal reflect.Value) e
 				d.config.Metadata.Keys = append(d.config.Metadata.Keys, name)
 			}
 		}
-		return nil
+
+		if !decodeNil {
+			return nil
+		}
 	}
 
 	if !inputVal.IsValid() {
-		// If the input value is invalid, then we just set the value
-		// to be the zero value.
-		outVal.Set(reflect.Zero(outVal.Type()))
-		if d.config.Metadata != nil && name != "" {
-			d.config.Metadata.Keys = append(d.config.Metadata.Keys, name)
+		if !decodeNil {
+			// If the input value is invalid, then we just set the value
+			// to be the zero value.
+			outVal.Set(reflect.Zero(outVal.Type()))
+			if d.config.Metadata != nil && name != "" {
+				d.config.Metadata.Keys = append(d.config.Metadata.Keys, name)
+			}
+			return nil
 		}
-		return nil
+
+		// If we get here, we have an untyped nil so the type of the input is assumed.
+		// We do this because all subsequent code requires a valid value for inputVal.
+		var mapVal map[string]interface{}
+		inputVal = reflect.MakeMap(reflect.TypeOf(mapVal))
 	}
 
 	if d.cachedDecodeHook != nil {
diff --git a/mapstructure_test.go b/mapstructure_test.go
index 4d246cc..e30ff47 100644
--- a/mapstructure_test.go
+++ b/mapstructure_test.go
@@ -3083,6 +3083,171 @@ func TestDecoder_IgnoreUntaggedFieldsWithStruct(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestDecoder_CanPerformDecodingForNilInputs(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	type Transformed struct {
+		Message string
+		When    string
+	}
+
+	helloHook := func(reflect.Type, reflect.Type, interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
+		return Transformed{Message: "hello"}, nil
+	}
+	goodbyeHook := func(reflect.Type, reflect.Type, interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
+		return Transformed{Message: "goodbye"}, nil
+	}
+	appendHook := func(from reflect.Value, to reflect.Value) (interface{}, error) {
+		if from.Kind() == reflect.Map {
+			stringMap := from.Interface().(map[string]interface{})
+			stringMap["when"] = "see you later"
+			return stringMap, nil
+		}
+		return from.Interface(), nil
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name           string
+		decodeNil      bool
+		input          interface{}
+		result         Transformed
+		expectedResult Transformed
+		decodeHook     DecodeHookFunc
+	}{
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=true for nil input with hook",
+			decodeNil:      true,
+			input:          nil,
+			decodeHook:     helloHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "hello"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=true for nil input without hook",
+			decodeNil:      true,
+			input:          nil,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: ""},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=false for nil input with hook",
+			decodeNil:      false,
+			input:          nil,
+			decodeHook:     helloHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: ""},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=false for nil input without hook",
+			decodeNil:      false,
+			input:          nil,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: ""},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=true for non-nil input without hook",
+			decodeNil:      true,
+			input:          map[string]interface{}{"message": "bar"},
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "bar"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=true for non-nil input with hook",
+			decodeNil:      true,
+			input:          map[string]interface{}{"message": "bar"},
+			decodeHook:     goodbyeHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "goodbye"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=false for non-nil input without hook",
+			decodeNil:      false,
+			input:          map[string]interface{}{"message": "bar"},
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "bar"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=false for non-nil input with hook",
+			decodeNil:      false,
+			input:          map[string]interface{}{"message": "bar"},
+			decodeHook:     goodbyeHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "goodbye"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=true for nil input without hook and non-empty result",
+			decodeNil:      true,
+			input:          nil,
+			result:         Transformed{Message: "foo"},
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "foo"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=true for nil input with hook and non-empty result",
+			decodeNil:      true,
+			input:          nil,
+			result:         Transformed{Message: "foo"},
+			decodeHook:     helloHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "hello"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=false for nil input without hook and non-empty result",
+			decodeNil:      false,
+			input:          nil,
+			result:         Transformed{Message: "foo"},
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "foo"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=false for nil input with hook and non-empty result",
+			decodeNil:      false,
+			input:          nil,
+			result:         Transformed{Message: "foo"},
+			decodeHook:     helloHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "foo"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=false for non-nil input with hook that appends a value",
+			decodeNil:      false,
+			input:          map[string]interface{}{"message": "bar"},
+			decodeHook:     appendHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "bar", When: "see you later"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=true for non-nil input with hook that appends a value",
+			decodeNil:      true,
+			input:          map[string]interface{}{"message": "bar"},
+			decodeHook:     appendHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{Message: "bar", When: "see you later"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=true for nil input with hook that appends a value",
+			decodeNil:      true,
+			decodeHook:     appendHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{When: "see you later"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "decodeNil=false for nil input with hook that appends a value",
+			decodeNil:      false,
+			decodeHook:     appendHook,
+			expectedResult: Transformed{},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			config := &DecoderConfig{
+				Result:     &test.result,
+				DecodeNil:  test.decodeNil,
+				DecodeHook: test.decodeHook,
+			}
+
+			decoder, err := NewDecoder(config)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+			}
+
+			if err := decoder.Decode(test.input); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("got an err: %s", err)
+			}
+
+			if test.result != test.expectedResult {
+				t.Errorf("result should be: %#v, got %#v", test.expectedResult, test.result)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func testSliceInput(t *testing.T, input map[string]interface{}, expected *Slice) {
 	var result Slice
 	err := Decode(input, &result)