diff --git a/hal/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/hal/DriverStationJNI.java b/hal/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/hal/DriverStationJNI.java
index f40a38cb72..3feaee4b19 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/hal/DriverStationJNI.java
+++ b/hal/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/hal/DriverStationJNI.java
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ public class DriverStationJNI extends JNIWrapper {
 
   public static native int sendConsoleLine(String line);
 
-  public static native void refreshDSData();
+  public static native boolean refreshDSData();
 
   public static native void provideNewDataEventHandle(int handle);
 
diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/athena/FRCDriverStation.cpp b/hal/src/main/native/athena/FRCDriverStation.cpp
index e8db9a59cc..e07b335f5f 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/athena/FRCDriverStation.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/athena/FRCDriverStation.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ static HAL_ControlWord newestControlWord;
 static JoystickDataCache caches[3];
 static JoystickDataCache* currentRead = &caches[0];
 static JoystickDataCache* currentReadLocal = &caches[0];
-static std::atomic<JoystickDataCache*> currentCache{&caches[1]};
+static std::atomic<JoystickDataCache*> currentCache{nullptr};
 static JoystickDataCache* lastGiven = &caches[1];
 static JoystickDataCache* cacheToUpdate = &caches[2];
 
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ static void newDataOccur(uint32_t refNum) {
   }
 }
 
-void HAL_RefreshDSData(void) {
+HAL_Bool HAL_RefreshDSData(void) {
   HAL_ControlWord controlWord;
   std::memset(&controlWord, 0, sizeof(controlWord));
   FRC_NetworkCommunication_getControlWord(
@@ -526,6 +526,7 @@ void HAL_RefreshDSData(void) {
     std::scoped_lock tcpLock(tcpCacheMutex);
     tcpCache.CloneTo(&tcpCurrent);
   }
+  return prev != nullptr;
 }
 
 void HAL_ProvideNewDataEventHandle(WPI_EventHandle handle) {
@@ -551,4 +552,13 @@ void InitializeDriverStation() {
   setNewDataOccurRef(refNumber);
   FRC_NetworkCommunication_setNewTcpDataOccurRef(tcpRefNumber);
 }
+
+void WaitForInitialPacket() {
+  wpi::Event waitForInitEvent;
+  driverStation->newDataEvents.Add(waitForInitEvent.GetHandle());
+  bool timed_out = false;
+  wpi::WaitForObject(waitForInitEvent.GetHandle(), 0.1, &timed_out);
+  // Don't care what the result is, just want to give it a chance.
+  driverStation->newDataEvents.Remove(waitForInitEvent.GetHandle());
+}
 }  // namespace hal
diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/athena/HAL.cpp b/hal/src/main/native/athena/HAL.cpp
index 3a8cefdcbf..c2ed275de7 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/athena/HAL.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/athena/HAL.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ using namespace hal;
 
 namespace hal {
 void InitializeDriverStation();
+void WaitForInitialPacket();
 namespace init {
 void InitializeHAL() {
   InitializeCTREPCM();
@@ -546,6 +547,8 @@ HAL_Bool HAL_Initialize(int32_t timeout, int32_t mode) {
     return rv;
   });
 
+  hal::WaitForInitialPacket();
+
   initialized = true;
   return true;
 }
diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/cpp/jni/DriverStationJNI.cpp b/hal/src/main/native/cpp/jni/DriverStationJNI.cpp
index f050f02129..7015067d49 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/cpp/jni/DriverStationJNI.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/cpp/jni/DriverStationJNI.cpp
@@ -403,13 +403,13 @@ Java_edu_wpi_first_hal_DriverStationJNI_sendConsoleLine
 /*
  * Class:     edu_wpi_first_hal_DriverStationJNI
  * Method:    refreshDSData
- * Signature: ()V
+ * Signature: ()Z
  */
-JNIEXPORT void JNICALL
+JNIEXPORT jboolean JNICALL
 Java_edu_wpi_first_hal_DriverStationJNI_refreshDSData
   (JNIEnv*, jclass)
 {
-  HAL_RefreshDSData();
+  return HAL_RefreshDSData();
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/include/hal/DriverStation.h b/hal/src/main/native/include/hal/DriverStation.h
index ae68b654ca..d7d69644f6 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/include/hal/DriverStation.h
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/include/hal/DriverStation.h
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ HAL_Bool HAL_GetOutputsEnabled(void);
  */
 int32_t HAL_GetMatchInfo(HAL_MatchInfo* info);
 
-void HAL_RefreshDSData(void);
+HAL_Bool HAL_RefreshDSData(void);
 
 void HAL_ProvideNewDataEventHandle(WPI_EventHandle handle);
 void HAL_RemoveNewDataEventHandle(WPI_EventHandle handle);
diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/sim/DriverStation.cpp b/hal/src/main/native/sim/DriverStation.cpp
index c99493d2ab..fc91ad64d6 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/sim/DriverStation.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/sim/DriverStation.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ static HAL_ControlWord newestControlWord;
 static JoystickDataCache caches[3];
 static JoystickDataCache* currentRead = &caches[0];
 static JoystickDataCache* currentReadLocal = &caches[0];
-static std::atomic<JoystickDataCache*> currentCache{&caches[1]};
+static std::atomic<JoystickDataCache*> currentCache{nullptr};
 static JoystickDataCache* lastGiven = &caches[1];
 static JoystickDataCache* cacheToUpdate = &caches[2];
 
@@ -318,9 +318,9 @@ void HAL_ObserveUserProgramTest(void) {
   // TODO
 }
 
-void HAL_RefreshDSData(void) {
+HAL_Bool HAL_RefreshDSData(void) {
   if (gShutdown) {
-    return;
+    return false;
   }
   HAL_ControlWord controlWord;
   std::memset(&controlWord, 0, sizeof(controlWord));
@@ -336,6 +336,7 @@ void HAL_RefreshDSData(void) {
     currentRead = prev;
   }
   newestControlWord = controlWord;
+  return prev != nullptr;
 }
 
 void HAL_ProvideNewDataEventHandle(WPI_EventHandle handle) {
diff --git a/wpilibc/src/main/native/cppcs/RobotBase.cpp b/wpilibc/src/main/native/cppcs/RobotBase.cpp
index 535d20df65..d759e261f3 100644
--- a/wpilibc/src/main/native/cppcs/RobotBase.cpp
+++ b/wpilibc/src/main/native/cppcs/RobotBase.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ int frc::RunHALInitialization() {
     std::puts("FATAL ERROR: HAL could not be initialized");
     return -1;
   }
+  DriverStation::RefreshData();
   HAL_Report(HALUsageReporting::kResourceType_Language,
              HALUsageReporting::kLanguage_CPlusPlus, 0, GetWPILibVersion());
 
diff --git a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/RobotBase.java b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/RobotBase.java
index e4fb96244c..83b9daabd9 100644
--- a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/RobotBase.java
+++ b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/RobotBase.java
@@ -395,6 +395,9 @@ public abstract class RobotBase implements AutoCloseable {
       throw new IllegalStateException("Failed to initialize. Terminating");
     }
 
+    // Force refresh DS data
+    DriverStation.refreshData();
+
     // Call a CameraServer JNI function to force OpenCV native library loading
     // Needed because all the OpenCV JNI functions don't have built in loading
     CameraServerJNI.enumerateSinks();