diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index ab86e3a..9362810 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ importFrom(ggplot2,set_last_plot)
 importFrom(ggplot2,theme)
 importFrom(ggplot2,theme_get)
 importFrom(ggplot2,theme_void)
+importFrom(ggplot2,waiver)
 importFrom(ggplot2,wrap_dims)
 importFrom(ggplot2,zeroGrob)
 importFrom(grDevices,is.raster)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index f50f423..e0474b4 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 * `as.list()` is now provided for patchwork objects to get the plots in a
   patchwork as a list. This also allows the use of `lapply()` and friends on
   patchwork objects (#381)
+* The default arguments in `plot_annotation()` and `plot_layout()` are now
+  `waiver()` allowing the use of `NULL` to remove an already set value (#198)
 
 # patchwork 1.2.0
 
diff --git a/R/aaa.R b/R/aaa.R
index 83d8d24..9c5362b 100644
--- a/R/aaa.R
+++ b/R/aaa.R
@@ -44,3 +44,5 @@ check_object <- function(x,
     call = call
   )
 }
+
+is_waiver <- function(x) inherits(x, "waiver")
diff --git a/R/add_plot.R b/R/add_plot.R
index 686f3a5..fcbcffc 100644
--- a/R/add_plot.R
+++ b/R/add_plot.R
@@ -86,8 +86,29 @@ add_patches.patchwork <- function(plot, patches) {
 new_patchwork <- function() {
   list(
     plots = list(),
-    layout = plot_layout(),
-    annotation = plot_annotation()
+    # We need to initialise layout and annotation with NULL values rather than waivers
+    layout = plot_layout(
+      ncol = NULL,
+      nrow = NULL,
+      byrow = NULL,
+      widths = NULL,
+      heights = NULL,
+      guides = NULL,
+      tag_level = NULL,
+      design = NULL,
+      axes = NULL,
+      axis_titles = NULL
+    ),
+    annotation = plot_annotation(
+      title = NULL,
+      subtitle = NULL,
+      caption = NULL,
+      tag_levels = NULL,
+      tag_prefix = NULL,
+      tag_suffix = NULL,
+      tag_sep = NULL,
+      theme = NULL
+    )
   )
 }
 #' @importFrom ggplot2 ggplot
diff --git a/R/plot_annotation.R b/R/plot_annotation.R
index 10a2a5e..6f53f2f 100644
--- a/R/plot_annotation.R
+++ b/R/plot_annotation.R
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ has_tag <- function(x) {
 #' The result of this function can be added to a patchwork using `+` in the same
 #' way as [plot_layout()], but unlike [plot_layout()] it will only have an
 #' effect on the top level plot. As the name suggests it controls different
-#' aspects of the annotation of the final plot, such as titles and tags.
+#' aspects of the annotation of the final plot, such as titles and tags. Already
+#' added annotations can be removed by setting the relevant argument to `NULL`.
 #'
 #' @details
 #' Tagging of subplots is done automatically and following the order of the
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ has_tag <- function(x) {
 #' @return A `plot_annotation` object
 #'
 #' @export
+#' @importFrom ggplot2 waiver
 #'
 #' @examples
 #' library(ggplot2)
@@ -69,9 +71,9 @@ has_tag <- function(x) {
 #' p1 / ((p2 | p3) + plot_layout(tag_level = 'new')) +
 #'   plot_annotation(tag_levels = list(c('&', '%'), '1'))
 #'
-plot_annotation <- function(title = NULL, subtitle = NULL, caption = NULL,
-                            tag_levels = NULL, tag_prefix = NULL, tag_suffix = NULL,
-                            tag_sep = NULL, theme = NULL) {
+plot_annotation <- function(title = waiver(), subtitle = waiver(), caption = waiver(),
+                            tag_levels = waiver(), tag_prefix = waiver(), tag_suffix = waiver(),
+                            tag_sep = waiver(), theme = waiver()) {
   th <- if (is.null(theme)) ggplot2::theme() else theme
   structure(list(
     title = title,
@@ -84,14 +86,28 @@ plot_annotation <- function(title = NULL, subtitle = NULL, caption = NULL,
     theme = th
   ), class = 'plot_annotation')
 }
-default_annotation <- plot_annotation(tag_levels = character(), tag_prefix = '', tag_suffix = '', tag_sep = '')
+default_annotation <- plot_annotation(
+  title = NULL,
+  subtitle = NULL,
+  caption = NULL,
+  tag_levels = character(),
+  tag_prefix = '',
+  tag_suffix = '',
+  tag_sep = '',
+  theme = NULL
+)
 #' @importFrom utils modifyList
 #' @export
 ggplot_add.plot_annotation <- function(object, plot, object_name) {
   plot <- as_patchwork(plot)
-  plot$patches$annotation$theme <- plot$patches$annotation$theme + object$theme
+  if (is.null(object$theme)) {
+    plot$patches$annotation$theme <- NULL
+  } else if (!is_waiver(object$theme)) {
+    plot$patches$annotation$theme <- plot$patches$annotation$theme + object$theme
+  }
   object$theme <- NULL
-  plot$patches$annotation <- modifyList(plot$patches$annotation, object[!vapply(object, is.null, logical(1))])
+  do_change <- object[!vapply(object, is_waiver, logical(1))]
+  plot$patches$annotation[names(do_change)] <- do_change
   plot
 }
 #' @importFrom ggplot2 is.ggplot labs
diff --git a/R/plot_layout.R b/R/plot_layout.R
index 02cc56b..26637a4 100644
--- a/R/plot_layout.R
+++ b/R/plot_layout.R
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 #'
 #' To control how different plots are laid out, you need to add a
 #' layout specification. If you are nesting grids, the layout is scoped to the
-#' current nesting level.
+#' current nesting level. An already set value can be removed by setting it to
+#' `NULL`.
 #'
 #' @param ncol,nrow The dimensions of the grid to create - if both are `NULL` it
 #' will use the same logic as [facet_wrap()][ggplot2::facet_wrap] to set the
@@ -106,18 +107,22 @@
 #' # Guide position must be applied to entire patchwork
 #' p6 + p7 + plot_layout(guides='collect') &
 #'   theme(legend.position='bottom')
-
-plot_layout <- function(ncol = NULL, nrow = NULL, byrow = NULL, widths = NULL,
-                        heights = NULL, guides = NULL, tag_level = NULL,
-                        design = NULL, axes = NULL, axis_titles = axes) {
-  if (!is.null(guides)) guides <- match.arg(guides, c('auto', 'collect', 'keep'))
-  if (!is.null(tag_level)) tag_level <- match.arg(tag_level, c('keep', 'new'))
-  if (!is.null(axes)) axes <- match.arg(
-    axes, c('keep', 'collect', 'collect_x', 'collect_y')
-  )
-  if (!is.null(axis_titles)) collect_titles <- match.arg(
-    axis_titles, c('keep', 'collect', 'collect_x', 'collect_y')
-  )
+plot_layout <- function(ncol = waiver(), nrow = waiver(), byrow = waiver(),
+                        widths = waiver(), heights = waiver(), guides = waiver(),
+                        tag_level = waiver(), design = waiver(), axes = waiver(),
+                        axis_titles = axes) {
+  if (!is.null(guides) && !is_waiver(guides)) {
+    guides <- arg_match0(guides, c('auto', 'collect', 'keep'))
+  }
+  if (!is.null(tag_level) && !is_waiver(tag_level)) {
+    tag_level <- arg_match0(tag_level, c('keep', 'new'))
+  }
+  if (!is.null(axes) && !is_waiver(axes)) {
+    axes <- arg_match0(axes, c('keep', 'collect', 'collect_x', 'collect_y'))
+  }
+  if (!is.null(axis_titles) && !is_waiver(axis_titles)) {
+    collect_titles <- arg_match0(axis_titles, c('keep', 'collect', 'collect_x', 'collect_y'))
+  }
   structure(list(
     ncol = ncol,
     nrow = nrow,
@@ -128,7 +133,7 @@ plot_layout <- function(ncol = NULL, nrow = NULL, byrow = NULL, widths = NULL,
     tag_level = tag_level,
     axes = axes,
     axis_titles = axis_titles,
-    design = as_areas(design)
+    design = if (is_waiver(design)) design else as_areas(design)
   ), class = 'plot_layout')
 }
 #' Specify a plotting area in a layout
@@ -304,13 +309,15 @@ c.patch_area <- function(..., recursive = FALSE) {
   area
 }
 default_layout <- plot_layout(
-  byrow = TRUE, widths = NA, heights = NA, guides = 'auto', tag_level = 'keep',
+  ncol = NULL, nrow = NULL, byrow = TRUE, widths = NA, heights = NA,
+  guides = 'auto', tag_level = 'keep', design = NULL,
   axes = 'keep', axis_titles = 'keep'
 )
 #' @importFrom utils modifyList
 #' @export
 ggplot_add.plot_layout <- function(object, plot, object_name) {
   plot <- as_patchwork(plot)
-  plot$patches$layout <- modifyList(plot$patches$layout, object[!vapply(object, is.null, logical(1))])
+  do_change <- object[!vapply(object, is_waiver, logical(1))]
+  plot$patches$layout[names(do_change)] <- do_change
   plot
 }
diff --git a/man/plot_annotation.Rd b/man/plot_annotation.Rd
index 7bc1ee9..15b68cf 100644
--- a/man/plot_annotation.Rd
+++ b/man/plot_annotation.Rd
@@ -5,14 +5,14 @@
 \title{Annotate the final patchwork}
 \usage{
 plot_annotation(
-  title = NULL,
-  subtitle = NULL,
-  caption = NULL,
-  tag_levels = NULL,
-  tag_prefix = NULL,
-  tag_suffix = NULL,
-  tag_sep = NULL,
-  theme = NULL
+  title = waiver(),
+  subtitle = waiver(),
+  caption = waiver(),
+  tag_levels = waiver(),
+  tag_prefix = waiver(),
+  tag_suffix = waiver(),
+  tag_sep = waiver(),
+  theme = waiver()
 )
 }
 \arguments{
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ A \code{plot_annotation} object
 The result of this function can be added to a patchwork using \code{+} in the same
 way as \code{\link[=plot_layout]{plot_layout()}}, but unlike \code{\link[=plot_layout]{plot_layout()}} it will only have an
 effect on the top level plot. As the name suggests it controls different
-aspects of the annotation of the final plot, such as titles and tags.
+aspects of the annotation of the final plot, such as titles and tags. Already
+added annotations can be removed by setting the relevant argument to \code{NULL}.
 }
 \details{
 Tagging of subplots is done automatically and following the order of the