diff --git a/src/sse/sse.js b/src/sse/sse.js
index 886e3f9..00b0936 100644
--- a/src/sse/sse.js
+++ b/src/sse/sse.js
@@ -85,20 +85,31 @@ This extension adds support for Server Sent Events to htmx.  See /www/extensions
    * @param {HTMLElement} elt
    */
   function registerSSE(elt) {
-    // Add message handlers for every `sse-swap` attribute
-    if (api.getAttributeValue(elt, 'sse-swap')) {
+  var sseSwapAttr = api.getAttributeValue(elt, 'sse-swap');
+  var sseConnectAttr = api.getAttributeValue(elt, 'sse-connect');
+
+  var hasSseSwap = sseSwapAttr !== null;
+  var hasSseConnect = sseConnectAttr !== null;
+  var hasNestedSseSwap = elt.querySelector('[sse-swap], [data-sse-swap]') !== null;
+
+  if (hasSseConnect && !(hasSseSwap || hasNestedSseSwap)) {
+      // Default `sse-swap` to `message`
+      sseSwapAttr = 'message';
+  }
+
+  // Add message handlers for every `sse-swap` attribute
+  if (sseSwapAttr) {
       // Find closest existing event source
       var sourceElement = api.getClosestMatch(elt, hasEventSource)
       if (sourceElement == null) {
-        // api.triggerErrorEvent(elt, "htmx:noSSESourceError")
-        return null // no eventsource in parentage, orphaned element
+      // api.triggerErrorEvent(elt, "htmx:noSSESourceError")
+      return null // no eventsource in parentage, orphaned element
       }
 
       // Set internalData and source
       var internalData = api.getInternalData(sourceElement)
       var source = internalData.sseEventSource
 
-      var sseSwapAttr = api.getAttributeValue(elt, 'sse-swap')
       var sseEventNames = sseSwapAttr.split(',')
 
       for (var i = 0; i < sseEventNames.length; i++) {
diff --git a/src/sse/test/ext/sse.js b/src/sse/test/ext/sse.js
index 3a20bfe..84c4372 100644
--- a/src/sse/test/ext/sse.js
+++ b/src/sse/test/ext/sse.js
@@ -702,4 +702,45 @@ describe('sse extension', function() {
     byId('d1').innerHTML.should.equal('div1 updated')
     byId('d2').innerHTML.should.equal('div2 updated')
   })
+
+  it('defaults to message event if sse-swap is not specified', function() {
+    var div = make('<div id="d1" hx-ext="sse" sse-connect="/event_stream"></div>');
+    this.clock.tick(1);
+    byId('d1').innerText.should.equal('');
+    this.eventSource.sendEvent('message', 'Event 1');
+    byId('d1').innerText.should.equal('Event 1');
+  });
+
+  it('does not default to message when parent has nested sse-swap elements', function() {
+    var div = make('<div id="parent" hx-ext="sse" sse-connect="/events">\n' +
+            '  <div id="foo" sse-swap="foo"></div>\n' +
+            '  <div id="bar" sse-swap="bar"></div>\n' +
+            '</div>');
+    this.clock.tick(1);
+
+    // Parent should NOT have default message event listener when it has nested sse-swap children
+    (this.eventSource._listeners.message == undefined).should.be.true;
+
+    // Child elements should have their specific event listeners
+    this.eventSource._listeners.foo.should.be.lengthOf(1);
+    this.eventSource._listeners.bar.should.be.lengthOf(1);
+
+    // Test that each element responds to its specific event
+    byId('foo').innerText.should.equal('');
+    byId('bar').innerText.should.equal('');
+
+    this.eventSource.sendEvent('foo', 'Foo Event');
+    byId('foo').innerText.should.equal('Foo Event');
+    byId('bar').innerText.should.equal('');
+
+    this.eventSource.sendEvent('bar', 'Bar Event');
+    byId('foo').innerText.should.equal('Foo Event');
+    byId('bar').innerText.should.equal('Bar Event');
+
+    // Message events should not affect anything since parent doesn't listen for them
+    this.eventSource.sendEvent('message', 'Default Message');
+    byId('foo').innerText.should.equal('Foo Event');
+    byId('bar').innerText.should.equal('Bar Event');
+    byId('parent').innerText.should.not.contain('Default Message');
+  });
 })