diff --git a/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/core/Resolution.scala b/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/core/Resolution.scala
index 511d7c8e2..e023ae45d 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/core/Resolution.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/core/Resolution.scala
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ object Resolution {
   private val mavenScopes = {
     val base = Map[String, Set[String]](
       "compile" -> Set("compile"),
-      "optional" -> Set("compile", "optional"),
+      "optional" -> Set("compile", "optional", "runtime"),
       "provided" -> Set(),
       "runtime" -> Set("compile", "runtime"),
       "test" -> Set()
diff --git a/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/maven/MavenRepository.scala b/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/maven/MavenRepository.scala
index b28ddfbb0..d92d0b45a 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/maven/MavenRepository.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/maven/MavenRepository.scala
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ final case class MavenRepository(
 
       val proj = Pom.addOptionalDependenciesInConfig(
         proj0.copy(configurations = defaultConfigurations),
-        Set("", "compile"),
+        Set("", "default"),
         "optional"
       )
 
diff --git a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/coursier/test/CentralTests.scala b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/coursier/test/CentralTests.scala
index 710d609e7..4a6765218 100644
--- a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/coursier/test/CentralTests.scala
+++ b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/coursier/test/CentralTests.scala
@@ -135,8 +135,17 @@ object CentralTests extends TestSuite {
     extraRepo: Option[Repository]
   )(
     f: Seq[Artifact] => T
+  ): Future[T] = 
+    withArtifacts(Set(dep), artifactType, extraRepo)(f)
+
+  def withArtifacts[T](
+    deps: Set[Dependency],
+    artifactType: String,
+    extraRepo: Option[Repository]
+  )(
+    f: Seq[Artifact] => T
   ): Future[T] = async {
-    val res = await(resolve(Set(dep), extraRepo = extraRepo))
+    val res = await(resolve(deps, extraRepo = extraRepo))
 
     assert(res.errors.isEmpty)
     assert(res.conflicts.isEmpty)
@@ -348,6 +357,32 @@ object CentralTests extends TestSuite {
       'runtime - check("runtime")
     }
 
+    'optionalScope - {
+
+      def intransitiveCompiler(config: String) =
+        Dependency(
+          Module("org.scala-lang", "scala-compiler"), "2.11.8",
+          configuration = config,
+          transitive = false
+        )
+
+      withArtifacts(
+        Set(
+          intransitiveCompiler("default"),
+          intransitiveCompiler("optional")
+        ),
+        "jar",
+        None
+      ) {
+        case Seq() =>
+          throw new Exception("Expected one JAR")
+        case Seq(jar) =>
+          () // ok
+        case other =>
+          throw new Exception(s"Got too many JARs (${other.mkString})")
+      }
+    }
+
     'packaging - {
       'aar - {
         // random aar-based module found on Central