diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 7288fbc..a4e7b72 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ be written to.
 ``COMPRESS_CSS_FILTERS``
 ------------------------
 
-:Default: ``[]``
+:Default: ``['compressor.filters.css_default.CssAbsoluteFilter]``
 
 A list of filters that will be applied to CSS.
 
diff --git a/compressor/conf/settings.py b/compressor/conf/settings.py
index 9f72c32..dc0c42b 100644
--- a/compressor/conf/settings.py
+++ b/compressor/conf/settings.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ OUTPUT_DIR = getattr(settings, 'COMPRESS_OUTPUT_DIR', 'CACHE')
 STORAGE = getattr(settings, 'COMPRESS_STORAGE', 'compressor.storage.CompressorFileStorage')
 
 COMPRESS = getattr(settings, 'COMPRESS', not settings.DEBUG)
-COMPRESS_CSS_FILTERS = getattr(settings, 'COMPRESS_CSS_FILTERS', [])
+COMPRESS_CSS_FILTERS = getattr(settings, 'COMPRESS_CSS_FILTERS', ['compressor.filters.css_default.CssAbsoluteFilter'])
 COMPRESS_JS_FILTERS = getattr(settings, 'COMPRESS_JS_FILTERS', ['compressor.filters.jsmin.JSMinFilter'])
 
 COMPRESS_LESSC_BINARY = getattr(settings, 'COMPRESS_LESSC_BINARY', 'lessc')
diff --git a/compressor/css.py b/compressor/css.py
index 1f57140..63babae 100644
--- a/compressor/css.py
+++ b/compressor/css.py
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ class CssCompressor(Compressor):
         self.extension = ".css"
         self.template_name = "compressor/css.html"
         self.template_name_inline = "compressor/css_inline.html"
-        self.filters = ['compressor.filters.css_default.CssAbsoluteFilter']
-        self.filters.extend(settings.COMPRESS_CSS_FILTERS)
+        self.filters = list(settings.COMPRESS_CSS_FILTERS)
         self.type = 'css'
         super(CssCompressor, self).__init__(content, output_prefix)