diff --git a/twilio/twiml.py b/twilio/twiml.py
index 4042621033..52d325cd6c 100644
--- a/twilio/twiml.py
+++ b/twilio/twiml.py
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         self.verbs = []
         self.attrs = {}
 
-        if kwargs.get("waitMethod", "GET") not in ["GET", "POST"]:
+        if kwargs.get("waitMethod", None) not in [None, "GET", "POST"]:
             raise TwimlException("Invalid waitMethod parameter, "
                                  "must be 'GET' or 'POST'")
 
-        if kwargs.get("method", "GET") not in ["GET", "POST"]:
+        if kwargs.get("method", None) not in [None, "GET", "POST"]:
             raise TwimlException("Invalid method parameter, "
                                  "must be 'GET' or 'POST'")