diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 37c18808..ca20712b 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1876,6 +1876,24 @@
       [$Either(a, b), $.Boolean],
       prop('isRight'));
 
+  //# fromEither :: b -> Either a b -> b
+  //.
+  //. Takes a default value and an Either, and returns the Right value
+  //. if the Either is a Right; the default value otherwise.
+  //.
+  //. ```javascript
+  //. > S.fromEither(0, S.Right(42))
+  //. 42
+  //.
+  //. > S.fromEither(0, S.Left(42))
+  //. 0
+  //. ```
+  S.fromEither =
+  def('fromEither',
+      {},
+      [b, $Either(a, b), b],
+      function(x, either) { return either.isRight ? either.value : x; });
+
   //# either :: (a -> c) -> (b -> c) -> Either a b -> c
   //.
   //. Takes two functions and an Either, and returns the result of
diff --git a/test/fromEither.js b/test/fromEither.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..76932473
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fromEither.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+'use strict';
+
+var throws = require('assert').throws;
+
+var eq = require('./utils').eq;
+var S = require('..');
+
+describe('fromEither', function() {
+
+  it('is a binary function', function() {
+    eq(typeof S.fromEither, 'function');
+    eq(S.fromEither.length, 2);
+  });
+
+  it('type checks its arguments', function() {
+    throws(function() { S.fromEither(0, [1, 2, 3]); },
+           'Invalid value\n' +
+           '\n' +
+           'fromEither :: b -> Either a b -> b\n' +
+           '                   ^^^^^^^^^^n' +
+           '                        1\n' +
+           '\n' +
+           '1)  [1, 2, 3] :: Array Number, Array FiniteNumber, Array NonZeroFiniteNumber, Array Integer, Array ValidNumber\n' +
+           '\n' +
+           'The value at position 1 is not a member of ‘Either a b’.\n');
+  });
+
+  it('can be applied to a Right', function() {
+    eq(S.fromEither(0, S.Right(42)), 42);
+  });
+
+  it('can be applied to a Left', function() {
+    eq(S.fromEither(0, S.Left(42)), 0);
+  });
+
+  it('is curried', function() {
+    eq(S.fromEither(0).length, 1);
+    eq(S.fromEither(0)(S.Right(42)), 42);
+  });
+
+});