diff --git a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/include/IterativeRobot.h b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/include/IterativeRobot.h
index d26ab70b39..ccea4f86c2 100644
--- a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/include/IterativeRobot.h
+++ b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/include/IterativeRobot.h
@@ -70,8 +70,6 @@ class IterativeRobot : public RobotBase {
   virtual void TestPeriodic();
 
  protected:
-  virtual void Prestart();
-
   virtual ~IterativeRobot() = default;
   IterativeRobot() = default;
 
diff --git a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/include/RobotBase.h b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/include/RobotBase.h
index a7c3fb0d3c..2fcd1467aa 100644
--- a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/include/RobotBase.h
+++ b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/include/RobotBase.h
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ class RobotBase {
   RobotBase(const RobotBase&) = delete;
   RobotBase& operator=(const RobotBase&) = delete;
 
-  virtual void Prestart();
-
   Task *m_task = nullptr;
   DriverStation &m_ds;
 
diff --git a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/IterativeRobot.cpp b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/IterativeRobot.cpp
index 9a2110d4d8..4027ae7000 100644
--- a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/IterativeRobot.cpp
+++ b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/IterativeRobot.cpp
@@ -16,11 +16,6 @@
 
 constexpr double IterativeRobot::kDefaultPeriod;
 
-void IterativeRobot::Prestart() {
-  // Don't immediately say that the robot's ready to be enabled.
-  // See below.
-}
-
 /**
  * Provide an alternate "main loop" via StartCompetition().
  *
@@ -39,10 +34,7 @@ void IterativeRobot::StartCompetition() {
       ->PutBoolean("LW Enabled", false);
   RobotInit();
 
-  // We call this now (not in Prestart like default) so that the robot
-  // won't enable until the initialization has finished. This is useful
-  // because otherwise it's sometimes possible to enable the robot
-  // before the code is ready.
+  // Tell the DS that the robot is ready to be enabled
   HALNetworkCommunicationObserveUserProgramStarting();
 
   // loop forever, calling the appropriate mode-dependent function
@@ -116,9 +108,13 @@ void IterativeRobot::StartCompetition() {
  * Robot-wide initialization code should go here.
  *
  * Users should override this method for default Robot-wide initialization which
- * will
- * be called when the robot is first powered on.  It will be called exactly 1
- * time.
+ * will be called when the robot is first powered on. It will be called exactly
+ * one time.
+ *
+ * Warning: the Driver Station "Robot Code" light and FMS "Robot Ready"
+ * indicators will be off until RobotInit() exits. Code in RobotInit() that
+ * waits for enable will cause the robot to never indicate that the code is
+ * ready, causing the robot to be bypassed in a match.
  */
 void IterativeRobot::RobotInit() {
   printf("Default %s() method... Overload me!\n", __FUNCTION__);
diff --git a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/RobotBase.cpp b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/RobotBase.cpp
index c1dda66b91..f5b82dde73 100644
--- a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/RobotBase.cpp
+++ b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/RobotBase.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ void RobotBase::setInstance(RobotBase *robot) {
 RobotBase &RobotBase::getInstance() { return *m_instance; }
 
 void RobotBase::robotSetup(RobotBase *robot) {
-  robot->Prestart();
   robot->StartCompetition();
 }
 
@@ -107,19 +106,6 @@ bool RobotBase::IsOperatorControl() const { return m_ds.IsOperatorControl(); }
  */
 bool RobotBase::IsTest() const { return m_ds.IsTest(); }
 
-/**
- * This hook is called right before startCompetition(). By default, tell the DS
- * that the robot is now ready to
- * be enabled. If you don't want for the robot to be enabled yet, you can
- * override this method to do nothing.
- * If you do so, you will need to call
- * HALNetworkCommunicationObserveUserProgramStarting() from your code when
- * you are ready for the robot to be enabled.
- */
-void RobotBase::Prestart() {
-  HALNetworkCommunicationObserveUserProgramStarting();
-}
-
 /**
  * Indicates if new data is available from the driver station.
  * @return Has new data arrived over the network since the last time this
diff --git a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/SampleRobot.cpp b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/SampleRobot.cpp
index c8e2e846f7..c13d4312ae 100644
--- a/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/SampleRobot.cpp
+++ b/wpilibc/wpilibC++Devices/src/SampleRobot.cpp
@@ -19,9 +19,14 @@ SampleRobot::SampleRobot() : m_robotMainOverridden(true) {}
 /**
  * Robot-wide initialization code should go here.
  *
- * Programmers should override this method for default Robot-wide initialization
- * which will
- * be called each time the robot enters the disabled state.
+ * Users should override this method for default Robot-wide initialization which
+ * will be called when the robot is first powered on. It will be called exactly
+ * one time.
+ *
+ * Warning: the Driver Station "Robot Code" light and FMS "Robot Ready"
+ * indicators will be off until RobotInit() exits. Code in RobotInit() that
+ * waits for enable will cause the robot to never indicate that the code is
+ * ready, causing the robot to be bypassed in a match.
  */
 void SampleRobot::RobotInit() {
   printf("Default %s() method... Override me!\n", __FUNCTION__);
@@ -111,12 +116,16 @@ void SampleRobot::StartCompetition() {
       ->GetSubTable("~STATUS~")
       ->PutBoolean("LW Enabled", false);
 
+  RobotInit();
+
+  // Tell the DS that the robot is ready to be enabled
+  HALNetworkCommunicationObserveUserProgramStarting();
+
   RobotMain();
 
   if (!m_robotMainOverridden) {
     // first and one-time initialization
     lw->SetEnabled(false);
-    RobotInit();
 
     while (true) {
       if (IsDisabled()) {
diff --git a/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/IterativeRobot.java b/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/IterativeRobot.java
index 11440b01e3..56b6e2e0ad 100644
--- a/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/IterativeRobot.java
+++ b/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/IterativeRobot.java
@@ -61,12 +61,6 @@ public class IterativeRobot extends RobotBase {
     m_testInitialized = false;
   }
 
-  @Override
-  protected void prestart() {
-    // Don't immediately say that the robot's ready to be enabled.
-    // See below.
-  }
-
   /**
    * Provide an alternate "main loop" via startCompetition().
    *
@@ -76,10 +70,7 @@ public class IterativeRobot extends RobotBase {
 
     robotInit();
 
-    // We call this now (not in prestart like default) so that the robot
-    // won't enable until the initialization has finished. This is useful
-    // because otherwise it's sometimes possible to enable the robot
-    // before the code is ready.
+    // Tell the DS that the robot is ready to be enabled
     FRCNetworkCommunicationsLibrary.FRCNetworkCommunicationObserveUserProgramStarting();
 
     // loop forever, calling the appropriate mode-dependent function
@@ -171,7 +162,12 @@ public class IterativeRobot extends RobotBase {
    *
    * Users should override this method for default Robot-wide initialization
    * which will be called when the robot is first powered on. It will be called
-   * exactly 1 time.
+   * exactly one time.
+   *
+   * Warning: the Driver Station "Robot Code" light and FMS "Robot Ready"
+   * indicators will be off until RobotInit() exits. Code in RobotInit() that
+   * waits for enable will cause the robot to never indicate that the code is
+   * ready, causing the robot to be bypassed in a match.
    */
   public void robotInit() {
     System.out.println("Default IterativeRobot.robotInit() method... Overload me!");
diff --git a/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/RobotBase.java b/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/RobotBase.java
index 51df54dd44..000f3919c3 100644
--- a/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/RobotBase.java
+++ b/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/RobotBase.java
@@ -148,18 +148,6 @@ public abstract class RobotBase {
    */
   public abstract void startCompetition();
 
-  /**
-   * This hook is called right before startCompetition(). By default, tell the
-   * DS that the robot is now ready to be enabled. If you don't want for the
-   * robot to be enabled yet, you can override this method to do nothing. If you
-   * do so, you will need to call FRCNetworkCommunicationsLibrary.
-   * FRCNetworkCommunicationOvserveUserProgramStarting() from your code when you
-   * are ready for the robot to be enabled.
-   */
-  protected void prestart() {
-    FRCNetworkCommunicationsLibrary.FRCNetworkCommunicationObserveUserProgramStarting();
-  }
-
   public static boolean getBooleanProperty(String name, boolean defaultValue) {
     String propVal = System.getProperty(name);
     if (propVal == null) {
@@ -213,7 +201,6 @@ public abstract class RobotBase {
     RobotBase robot;
     try {
       robot = (RobotBase) Class.forName(robotName).newInstance();
-      robot.prestart();
     } catch (Throwable t) {
       DriverStation.reportError("ERROR Unhandled exception instantiating robot " + robotName + " "
           + t.toString() + " at " + Arrays.toString(t.getStackTrace()), false);
diff --git a/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/SampleRobot.java b/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/SampleRobot.java
index 99c8c54658..7da5471c5f 100644
--- a/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/SampleRobot.java
+++ b/wpilibj/wpilibJavaDevices/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/SampleRobot.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 package edu.wpi.first.wpilibj;
 
 import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.communication.UsageReporting;
+import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.communication.FRCNetworkCommunicationsLibrary;
 import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.communication.FRCNetworkCommunicationsLibrary.tInstances;
 import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.communication.FRCNetworkCommunicationsLibrary.tResourceType;
 import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.Timer;
@@ -41,9 +42,13 @@ public class SampleRobot extends RobotBase {
    * Robot-wide initialization code should go here.
    *
    * Users should override this method for default Robot-wide initialization
-   * which will be called when the robot is first powered on.
+   * which will be called when the robot is first powered on. It will be called
+   * exactly one time.
    *
-   * Called exactly 1 time when the competition starts.
+   * Warning: the Driver Station "Robot Code" light and FMS "Robot Ready"
+   * indicators will be off until RobotInit() exits. Code in RobotInit() that
+   * waits for enable will cause the robot to never indicate that the code is
+   * ready, causing the robot to be bypassed in a match.
    */
   protected void robotInit() {
     System.out.println("Default robotInit() method running, consider providing your own");
@@ -116,11 +121,15 @@ public class SampleRobot extends RobotBase {
   public void startCompetition() {
     UsageReporting.report(tResourceType.kResourceType_Framework, tInstances.kFramework_Sample);
 
+    robotInit();
+
+    // Tell the DS that the robot is ready to be enabled
+    FRCNetworkCommunicationsLibrary.FRCNetworkCommunicationObserveUserProgramStarting();
+
     robotMain();
     if (!m_robotMainOverridden) {
       // first and one-time initialization
       LiveWindow.setEnabled(false);
-      robotInit();
 
       while (true) {
         if (isDisabled()) {