The level of corporate risk-taking impacts debt default as a crucial investment decision. Hence, this must be examined considering resource allocation. This study uses A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2021 as samples to empirically explore the impact and mechanism of corporate risk-taking level on debt default risk. The results show that corporate risk-taking can significantly inhibit debt default and the risk of debt default by promoting total factor productivity. Further, the higher the level of enterprise financialization of the firm, the higher the stock liquidity, and the higher the level of managerial confidence, the stronger the inhibitory effect of corporate risktaking on debt default. The heterogeneity analysis reveals that the inhibitory effect of corporate risk-taking on debt default is more significant in large-scale enterprises, enterprises with lower regulatory shareholdings, and enterprises with standard unqualified audit opinions. The study provides guidance for enterprises to improve the level of risk-taking and resource allocation efficiency effectively. Moreover, it provides empirical support for regulators to effectively prevent "waves of defaults" and even "waves of bankruptcies" in the real economy.