diff --git a/sites/all/modules/contrib/comment_subject/comment_subject.module b/sites/all/modules/contrib/comment_subject/comment_subject.module
--- comment_subject.module
+++ comment_subject.module
@@ -32,12 +32,11 @@
     // comment subjects can not be longer than 64 characters
     $subject = truncate_utf8($subject, 64, TRUE, TRUE);
 
-    if (variable_get('comment_subject_field', 1) == 1) {
-      $form['subject']['#default_value'] = $subject;
-    } else {
-      // comment subject disabled in comment settings
-      $form['subject'] = array('#type' => 'hidden', '#default_value' => $subject);
-    }
+    // nevermind whether #type should or shouldn't be hidden
+    // just update the #default_value
+    // which is compatible with comment_update_6002 and preserves backward compatibility
+    if (!isset($form['subject'])) $form['subject']['#type'] = 'hidden';
+    $form['subject']['#default_value'] = $subject;
   }
 }