diff --git a/src/nvim/highlight_group.c b/src/nvim/highlight_group.c
index b970e752bb..84cf19ba69 100644
--- a/src/nvim/highlight_group.c
+++ b/src/nvim/highlight_group.c
@@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ void set_hl_group(int id, HlAttrs attrs, Dict(highlight) *dict, int link_id)
     g->sg_link = 0;
   }
 
-  g->sg_gui = attrs.rgb_ae_attr;
+  g->sg_gui = attrs.rgb_ae_attr &~HL_DEFAULT;
 
   g->sg_rgb_fg = attrs.rgb_fg_color;
   g->sg_rgb_bg = attrs.rgb_bg_color;
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ void set_hl_group(int id, HlAttrs attrs, Dict(highlight) *dict, int link_id)
     }
   }
 
-  g->sg_cterm = attrs.cterm_ae_attr;
+  g->sg_cterm = attrs.cterm_ae_attr &~HL_DEFAULT;
   g->sg_cterm_bg = attrs.cterm_bg_color;
   g->sg_cterm_fg = attrs.cterm_fg_color;
   g->sg_cterm_bold = g->sg_cterm & HL_BOLD;
@@ -1441,7 +1441,7 @@ void restore_cterm_colors(void)
 /// @param check_link  if true also check for an existing link.
 ///
 /// @return true if highlight group "idx" has any settings.
-static int hl_has_settings(int idx, bool check_link)
+static bool hl_has_settings(int idx, bool check_link)
 {
   return hl_table[idx].sg_cleared == 0
          && (hl_table[idx].sg_attr != 0
diff --git a/test/functional/api/highlight_spec.lua b/test/functional/api/highlight_spec.lua
index 492fd73223..5d6aaa57e6 100644
--- a/test/functional/api/highlight_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/api/highlight_spec.lua
@@ -608,4 +608,21 @@ describe('API: get highlight', function()
     meths.set_hl(0, 'Tried', { fg = "#00ff00", default = true })
     eq({ fg = tonumber('00ff00', 16), default = true }, meths.get_hl(0, { name = 'Tried' }))
   end)
+
+  it('should not output empty gui and cterm #23474', function()
+    meths.set_hl(0, 'Foo', {default = true})
+    meths.set_hl(0, 'Bar', { default = true, fg = '#ffffff' })
+    meths.set_hl(0, 'FooBar', { default = true, fg = '#ffffff', cterm = {bold = true} })
+    meths.set_hl(0, 'FooBarA', { default = true, fg = '#ffffff', cterm = {bold = true,italic = true}})
+
+    eq('Foo            xxx cleared',
+      exec_capture('highlight Foo'))
+    eq({default = true}, meths.get_hl(0, {name = 'Foo'}))
+    eq('Bar            xxx guifg=#ffffff',
+      exec_capture('highlight Bar'))
+    eq('FooBar         xxx cterm=bold guifg=#ffffff',
+      exec_capture('highlight FooBar'))
+    eq('FooBarA        xxx cterm=bold,italic guifg=#ffffff',
+      exec_capture('highlight FooBarA'))
+  end)
 end)