diff --git a/pattern_library/monkey_utils.py b/pattern_library/monkey_utils.py
index 12eeb3e8..691383ca 100644
--- a/pattern_library/monkey_utils.py
+++ b/pattern_library/monkey_utils.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 def override_tag(
     register: django.template.Library,
     name: str,
-    default_html: typing.Optional[typing.Any] = UNSPECIFIED,
+    default_html: typing.Optional[typing.Any] = None,
 ):
     """
     An utility that helps you override original tags for use in your pattern library.
@@ -95,14 +95,15 @@ def node_render(context):
                                 Warning,
                             )
                         else:
-                            raise TypeError(
+                            warnings.warn(
                                 'default_html argument to override_tag must be a string (line %s in "%s")'
                                 % (trace.lineno, trace.filename)
                             )
+                            return ""
 
                     # Render provided default;
                     # if no stub data supplied.
-                    return default_html
+                    return default_html or ""
                 else:
                     logger.warning(
                         'No default or stub data defined for the "%s" tag in the "%s" template',
diff --git a/tests/tests/test_tags.py b/tests/tests/test_tags.py
index 6d34f0a1..1187841f 100644
--- a/tests/tests/test_tags.py
+++ b/tests/tests/test_tags.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def test_falsey_default_html_overide(self):
 
 
 class TagsTestFailCase(SimpleTestCase):
-    def test_bad_default_html_warning(self):
+    def test_bad_default_html_warning_on_older_django_versions(self):
         """
         Test that the library raises a warning when passing a non-string `default_html` argument to `override_tag`
         in Django < 4.0
@@ -79,13 +79,13 @@ def test_bad_default_html_warning(self):
                 str(cm.warnings[0]),
             )
 
-    def test_bad_default_html_error(self):
+    def test_bad_default_html_warning_on_newer_django_versions(self):
         """
-        Test that the library raises a TypeError when passing a non-string `default_html` argument to `override_tag`
+        Test that the library raises a warning when passing a non-string `default_html` argument to `override_tag`
         in Django >= 4.0
         """
         with patch("django.VERSION", (4, 2, 0, "final", 0)):
-            with self.assertRaises(TypeError) as cm:
+            with self.assertWarns(Warning) as cm:
                 template_name = (
                     "patterns/atoms/tags_test_atom/invalid_tags_test_atom.html.fail"
                 )
@@ -97,5 +97,5 @@ def test_bad_default_html_error(self):
                 )
             self.assertIn(
                 "default_html argument to override_tag must be a string",
-                str(cm.exception),
+                str(cm.warnings[0]),
             )