Disclosed is a resist substrate treatment solution for improving defects on the surface of a pattern formed by a development processing. Also disclosed is a method for the treatment of a resist substrate using the resist substrate treatment solution. The resist substrate treatment solution comprises a nitrogen-containing water-soluble polymer or an oxygen-containing water-soluble polymer (e.g., a polyamine, a polyol, a polyether) and a solvent. The method comprises the steps of treating a resist pattern formed by a development processing with the resist substrate treatment solution and washing the resist pattern with pure water.