protected function applyDefaultValues(&$value, $schema, $path)
    {
        // only apply defaults if feature is enabled
        if (!$this->factory->getConfig(self::CHECK_MODE_APPLY_DEFAULTS)) {
            return;
        }

        // apply defaults if appropriate
        $requiredOnly = $this->factory->getConfig(self::CHECK_MODE_ONLY_REQUIRED_DEFAULTS);
        if (isset($schema->properties) && LooseTypeCheck::isObject($value)) {
            // $value is an object or assoc array, and properties are defined - treat as an object
            foreach ($schema->properties as $currentProperty => $propertyDefinition) {
                $propertyDefinition = $this->factory->getSchemaStorage()->resolveRefSchema($propertyDefinition);
                if (
                    !LooseTypeCheck::propertyExists($value, $currentProperty)
                    && property_exists($propertyDefinition, 'default')
                    && $this->shouldApplyDefaultValue($requiredOnly, $propertyDefinition, $currentProperty, $schema)
                ) {
                    // assign default value
                    if (is_object($propertyDefinition->default)) {
                        LooseTypeCheck::propertySet($value, $currentProperty, clone $propertyDefinition->default);
                    } else {
                        LooseTypeCheck::propertySet($value, $currentProperty, $propertyDefinition->default);
                    }
                    $this->appliedDefaults[] = $currentProperty;
                }
            }
        } elseif (isset($schema->items) && LooseTypeCheck::isArray($value)) {
            $items = array();
            if (LooseTypeCheck::isArray($schema->items)) {
                $items = $schema->items;
            } elseif (isset($schema->minItems) && count($value) < $schema->minItems) {
                $items = array_fill(count($value), $schema->minItems - count($value), $schema->items);
            }
            // $value is an array, and items are defined - treat as plain array
            foreach ($items as $currentItem => $itemDefinition) {
                $itemDefinition = $this->factory->getSchemaStorage()->resolveRefSchema($itemDefinition);
                if (
                    !array_key_exists($currentItem, $value)
                    && property_exists($itemDefinition, 'default')
                    && $this->shouldApplyDefaultValue($requiredOnly, $itemDefinition)) {
                    if (is_object($itemDefinition->default)) {
                        $value[$currentItem] = clone $itemDefinition->default;
                    } else {
                        $value[$currentItem] = $itemDefinition->default;
                    }
                }
                $path->setFromDefault();
            }
        } elseif (
            $value instanceof self
            && property_exists($schema, 'default')
            && $this->shouldApplyDefaultValue($requiredOnly, $schema)) {
            // $value is a leaf, not a container - apply the default directly
            $value = is_object($schema->default) ? clone $schema->default : $schema->default;
            $path->setFromDefault();
        }
    }