Question about behavior of the rest shortcut `0` in rhythm input mode

From the handbook and several posts on the forum, I get the understanding that in the rhythem input mode the shortcut 0 for rests should behave like the shortcut . for dotted notes: press before entering a time value, use num keys to input some rests, and press 0 again to revert to inputting pronounced notes. However, when you press 0, it produces a rest of the currently active length, i.e., the length of the previous note. Is there some rationale that this is the desired behavior?