diff --git a/wpilibc/src/main/native/cpp/Preferences.cpp b/wpilibc/src/main/native/cpp/Preferences.cpp
index 60147757c4..8c1eb87b75 100644
--- a/wpilibc/src/main/native/cpp/Preferences.cpp
+++ b/wpilibc/src/main/native/cpp/Preferences.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-/* Copyright (c) 2011-2019 FIRST. All Rights Reserved.                        */
+/* Copyright (c) 2011-2020 FIRST. All Rights Reserved.                        */
 /* Open Source Software - may be modified and shared by FRC teams. The code   */
 /* must be accompanied by the FIRST BSD license file in the root directory of */
 /* the project.                                                               */
@@ -58,36 +58,66 @@ void Preferences::PutString(wpi::StringRef key, wpi::StringRef value) {
   entry.SetPersistent();
 }
 
+void Preferences::InitString(wpi::StringRef key, wpi::StringRef value) {
+  auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
+  entry.SetDefaultString(value);
+}
+
 void Preferences::PutInt(wpi::StringRef key, int value) {
   auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
   entry.SetDouble(value);
   entry.SetPersistent();
 }
 
+void Preferences::InitInt(wpi::StringRef key, int value) {
+  auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
+  entry.SetDefaultDouble(value);
+}
+
 void Preferences::PutDouble(wpi::StringRef key, double value) {
   auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
   entry.SetDouble(value);
   entry.SetPersistent();
 }
 
+void Preferences::InitDouble(wpi::StringRef key, double value) {
+  auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
+  entry.SetDefaultDouble(value);
+}
+
 void Preferences::PutFloat(wpi::StringRef key, float value) {
   auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
   entry.SetDouble(value);
   entry.SetPersistent();
 }
 
+void Preferences::InitFloat(wpi::StringRef key, float value) {
+  auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
+  entry.SetDefaultDouble(value);
+}
+
 void Preferences::PutBoolean(wpi::StringRef key, bool value) {
   auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
   entry.SetBoolean(value);
   entry.SetPersistent();
 }
 
+void Preferences::InitBoolean(wpi::StringRef key, bool value) {
+  auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
+  entry.SetDefaultBoolean(value);
+}
+
 void Preferences::PutLong(wpi::StringRef key, int64_t value) {
   auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
   entry.SetDouble(value);
   entry.SetPersistent();
 }
 
+void Preferences::InitLong(wpi::StringRef key, int64_t value) {
+  auto entry = m_table->GetEntry(key);
+  entry.SetDefaultDouble(value);
+}
+
 bool Preferences::ContainsKey(wpi::StringRef key) {
   return m_table->ContainsKey(key);
 }
diff --git a/wpilibc/src/main/native/include/frc/Preferences.h b/wpilibc/src/main/native/include/frc/Preferences.h
index 57678a824f..f04b012bec 100644
--- a/wpilibc/src/main/native/include/frc/Preferences.h
+++ b/wpilibc/src/main/native/include/frc/Preferences.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-/* Copyright (c) 2011-2018 FIRST. All Rights Reserved.                        */
+/* Copyright (c) 2011-2020 FIRST. All Rights Reserved.                        */
 /* Open Source Software - may be modified and shared by FRC teams. The code   */
 /* must be accompanied by the FIRST BSD license file in the root directory of */
 /* the project.                                                               */
@@ -121,6 +121,12 @@ class Preferences : public ErrorBase {
    */
   void PutString(wpi::StringRef key, wpi::StringRef value);
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given string into the preferences table if it doesn't
+   * already exist.
+   */
+  void InitString(wpi::StringRef key, wpi::StringRef value);
+
   /**
    * Puts the given int into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -131,6 +137,12 @@ class Preferences : public ErrorBase {
    */
   void PutInt(wpi::StringRef key, int value);
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given int into the preferences table if it doesn't
+   * already exist.
+   */
+  void InitInt(wpi::StringRef key, int value);
+
   /**
    * Puts the given double into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -141,6 +153,12 @@ class Preferences : public ErrorBase {
    */
   void PutDouble(wpi::StringRef key, double value);
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given double into the preferences table if it doesn't
+   * already exist.
+   */
+  void InitDouble(wpi::StringRef key, double value);
+
   /**
    * Puts the given float into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -151,6 +169,12 @@ class Preferences : public ErrorBase {
    */
   void PutFloat(wpi::StringRef key, float value);
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given float into the preferences table if it doesn't
+   * already exist.
+   */
+  void InitFloat(wpi::StringRef key, float value);
+
   /**
    * Puts the given boolean into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -161,6 +185,12 @@ class Preferences : public ErrorBase {
    */
   void PutBoolean(wpi::StringRef key, bool value);
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given boolean into the preferences table if it doesn't
+   * already exist.
+   */
+  void InitBoolean(wpi::StringRef key, bool value);
+
   /**
    * Puts the given long (int64_t) into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -171,6 +201,12 @@ class Preferences : public ErrorBase {
    */
   void PutLong(wpi::StringRef key, int64_t value);
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given long into the preferences table if it doesn't
+   * already exist.
+   */
+  void InitLong(wpi::StringRef key, int64_t value);
+
   /**
    * Returns whether or not there is a key with the given name.
    *
diff --git a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/Preferences.java b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/Preferences.java
index b25d9073cb..a45b6de276 100644
--- a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/Preferences.java
+++ b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/Preferences.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-/* Copyright (c) 2008-2019 FIRST. All Rights Reserved.                        */
+/* Copyright (c) 2008-2020 FIRST. All Rights Reserved.                        */
 /* Open Source Software - may be modified and shared by FRC teams. The code   */
 /* must be accompanied by the FIRST BSD license file in the root directory of */
 /* the project.                                                               */
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import static edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.util.ErrorMessages.requireNonNullParam;
  * <p> This will also interact with {@link NetworkTable} by creating a table called "Preferences"
  * with all the key-value pairs. </p>
  */
+@SuppressWarnings("PMD.TooManyMethods")
 public final class Preferences {
   /**
    * The Preferences table name.
@@ -94,6 +95,17 @@ public final class Preferences {
     entry.setPersistent();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given string into the preferences table if it doesn't already exist.
+   *
+   * @param key   The key
+   * @param value The value
+   */
+  public void initString(String key, String value) {
+    NetworkTableEntry entry = m_table.getEntry(key);
+    entry.setDefaultString(value);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Puts the given int into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -106,6 +118,17 @@ public final class Preferences {
     entry.setPersistent();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given int into the preferences table if it doesn't already exist.
+   *
+   * @param key   The key
+   * @param value The value
+   */
+  public void initInt(String key, int value) {
+    NetworkTableEntry entry = m_table.getEntry(key);
+    entry.setDefaultDouble(value);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Puts the given double into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -118,6 +141,17 @@ public final class Preferences {
     entry.setPersistent();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given double into the preferences table if it doesn't already exist.
+   *
+   * @param key   The key
+   * @param value The value
+   */
+  public void initDouble(String key, double value) {
+    NetworkTableEntry entry = m_table.getEntry(key);
+    entry.setDefaultDouble(value);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Puts the given float into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -130,6 +164,17 @@ public final class Preferences {
     entry.setPersistent();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given float into the preferences table if it doesn't already exist.
+   *
+   * @param key   The key
+   * @param value The value
+   */
+  public void initFloat(String key, float value) {
+    NetworkTableEntry entry = m_table.getEntry(key);
+    entry.setDefaultDouble(value);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Puts the given boolean into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -142,6 +187,17 @@ public final class Preferences {
     entry.setPersistent();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given boolean into the preferences table if it doesn't already exist.
+   *
+   * @param key   The key
+   * @param value The value
+   */
+  public void initBoolean(String key, boolean value) {
+    NetworkTableEntry entry = m_table.getEntry(key);
+    entry.setDefaultBoolean(value);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Puts the given long into the preferences table.
    *
@@ -154,6 +210,17 @@ public final class Preferences {
     entry.setPersistent();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Puts the given long into the preferences table if it doesn't already exist.
+   *
+   * @param key   The key
+   * @param value The value
+   */
+  public void initLong(String key, long value) {
+    NetworkTableEntry entry = m_table.getEntry(key);
+    entry.setDefaultDouble(value);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Returns whether or not there is a key with the given name.
    *