diff --git a/evap/student/templates/student_vote_questionnaire_group.html b/evap/student/templates/student_vote_questionnaire_group.html
index d200b55c9..2cde4bdac 100644
--- a/evap/student/templates/student_vote_questionnaire_group.html
+++ b/evap/student/templates/student_vote_questionnaire_group.html
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ <h4 class="{% if not forloop.first %} mt-3 {% elif contributor %} me-auto {% end
                             <div class="col-answer col-lg-8 col-xl-7 my-auto d-flex">
                                 <div class="vote-inputs tab-row {{ field.field.widget.attrs.choices.css_class }} btn-group" data-bs-toggle="buttons">
                                 {% for choice, color in field|zip:field.field.widget.attrs.choices.colors %}
-                                    <input id="{{ choice.id_for_label }}" class="tab-selectable num-selectable btn-check" name="{{ choice.data.name }}" type="radio" value="{{ choice.data.value }}" autocomplete="off"{% if field.field.value.0 == choice.data.value %} checked="checked"{% endif %}{% if preview %} disabled{% endif %}/>
+                                    <input id="{{ choice.id_for_label }}" class="tab-selectable num-selectable btn-check" name="{{ choice.data.name }}" type="radio" value="{{ choice.data.value }}" autocomplete="off"{% if field.initial == choice.data.value %} checked="checked"{% endif %}{% if preview %} disabled{% endif %}/>
                                     <label for="{{ choice.id_for_label }}" class="btn btn-sm btn-light vote-btn vote-btn-{{ color }} d-flex{% if field.value == choice.data.value %} active{% endif %}{% if field.errors %} choice-error{% endif %}">
                                         <span class="m-auto vote-btn-text">{{ choice.choice_label|linebreaksbr }} {{ choice.id }}</span>
                                     </label>
diff --git a/evap/student/views.py b/evap/student/views.py
index dc460d192..c19dc5917 100644
--- a/evap/student/views.py
+++ b/evap/student/views.py
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ def sorter(evaluation):
 
 
 def get_vote_page_form_groups(
-    request: HttpRequest, evaluation: Evaluation, preview: bool
+    request: HttpRequest, evaluation: Evaluation, preview: bool, show_dropout_questionnaire=False
 ) -> OrderedDict[Contribution, list[QuestionnaireVotingForm]]:
     contributions_to_vote_on = evaluation.contributions.all()
     # prevent a user from voting on themselves
@@ -208,7 +208,12 @@ def get_vote_page_form_groups(
         if not questionnaires.exists():
             continue
         form_groups[contribution] = [
-            QuestionnaireVotingForm(request.POST or None, contribution=contribution, questionnaire=questionnaire)
+            QuestionnaireVotingForm(request.POST or None, contribution=contribution, questionnaire=questionnaire,
+                                    initial={
+                                        answer_field_id(contribution, questionnaire, question): NO_ANSWER for question
+                                        in questionnaire.rating_questions
+                                    } if show_dropout_questionnaire else None
+                                    )
             for questionnaire in questionnaires
         ]
     return form_groups
@@ -221,8 +226,9 @@ def render_vote_page(
     for_rendering_in_modal: bool = False,
     show_dropout_questionnaire: bool = False,
 ):
-    form_groups = get_vote_page_form_groups(request, evaluation, preview)
+    form_groups = get_vote_page_form_groups(request, evaluation, preview, show_dropout_questionnaire)
 
+    # TODO@Felix: why does this assert throw
     assert preview or not all(form.is_valid() for form_group in form_groups.values() for form in form_group)
 
     evaluation_form_group = form_groups.pop(evaluation.general_contribution, default=[])
@@ -264,11 +270,6 @@ def render_vote_page(
                     questionnaire=dropout_questionnaire,
                 ),
             )
-        # TODO@felix: also set contributor questionnaires to default
-        for form in evaluation_form_group_top + evaluation_form_group_bottom:
-            for name, field in form.fields.items():
-                if hasattr(field, "choices"):
-                    field.value = field.choices[-1]  # TODO@Felix: tried doing this with NO_ANSWER, but that didnt work
 
     template_data = {
         "contributor_errors_exist": contributor_errors_exist,