diff --git a/includes/admin/meta-boxes/class-wc-meta-box-product-data.php b/includes/admin/meta-boxes/class-wc-meta-box-product-data.php
index c79d43d6b3d..fafb3886a28 100644
--- a/includes/admin/meta-boxes/class-wc-meta-box-product-data.php
+++ b/includes/admin/meta-boxes/class-wc-meta-box-product-data.php
@@ -643,7 +643,8 @@ class WC_Meta_Box_Product_Data {
 									$options = wc_get_text_attributes( $attribute['value'] );
 
 									foreach ( $options as $option ) {
-										echo '<option ' . selected( $variation_selected_value, $option, false ) . ' value="' . esc_attr( $option ) . '">' . esc_html( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_variation_option_name', $option ) )  . '</option>';
+										$selected = sanitize_title( $variation_selected_value ) === $variation_selected_value ? selected( sanitize_title( $variation_selected_value ), sanitize_title( $option ), false ) : selected( $variation_selected_value, $option, false );
+										echo '<option ' . $selected . ' value="' . esc_attr( $option ) . '">' . esc_html( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_variation_option_name', $option ) )  . '</option>';
 									}
 
 								}
diff --git a/includes/admin/meta-boxes/views/html-variation-admin.php b/includes/admin/meta-boxes/views/html-variation-admin.php
index 81930c2b54f..7f4efb1552e 100644
--- a/includes/admin/meta-boxes/views/html-variation-admin.php
+++ b/includes/admin/meta-boxes/views/html-variation-admin.php
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ extract( $variation_data );
 					$options = wc_get_text_attributes( $attribute['value'] );
 
 					foreach ( $options as $option ) {
-						echo '<option ' . selected( $variation_selected_value, $option, false ) . ' value="' . esc_attr( $option ) . '">' . esc_html( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_variation_option_name', $option ) ) . '</option>';
+						$selected = sanitize_title( $variation_selected_value ) === $variation_selected_value ? selected( sanitize_title( $variation_selected_value ), sanitize_title( $option ), false ) : selected( $variation_selected_value, $option, false );
+						echo '<option ' . $selected . ' value="' . esc_attr( $option ) . '">' . esc_html( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_variation_option_name', $option ) ) . '</option>';
 					}
 
 				}
diff --git a/templates/single-product/add-to-cart/variable.php b/templates/single-product/add-to-cart/variable.php
index 017e7b370db..ffe01f01ec8 100644
--- a/templates/single-product/add-to-cart/variable.php
+++ b/templates/single-product/add-to-cart/variable.php
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ global $product, $post;
 
 									} else {
 										foreach ( $options as $option ) {
-											echo '<option value="' . esc_attr( $option ) . '" ' . selected( $selected_value, $option, false ) . '>' . esc_html( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_variation_option_name', $option ) ) . '</option>';
+											$selected = sanitize_title( $selected_value ) === $selected_value ? selected( sanitize_title( $selected_value ), sanitize_title( $option ), false ) : selected( $selected_value, $option, false );
+											echo '<option value="' . esc_attr( $option ) . '" ' . $selected . '>' . esc_html( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_variation_option_name', $option ) ) . '</option>';
 										}
 									}
 								}