diff --git a/wpilibc/wpilibC++/include/SmartDashboard/SmartDashboard.h b/wpilibc/wpilibC++/include/SmartDashboard/SmartDashboard.h
index 5906c0f76a..c4ab91ca0f 100644
--- a/wpilibc/wpilibC++/include/SmartDashboard/SmartDashboard.h
+++ b/wpilibc/wpilibC++/include/SmartDashboard/SmartDashboard.h
@@ -26,13 +26,16 @@ public:
 
 	static void PutBoolean(std::string keyName, bool value);
 	static bool GetBoolean(std::string keyName);
+	static bool GetBoolean(std::string keyName, bool defaultValue);
 
 	static void PutNumber(std::string keyName, double value);
 	static double GetNumber(std::string keyName);
+	static double GetNumber(std::string keyName, double defaultValue);
 
 	static void PutString(std::string keyName, std::string value);
 	static int GetString(std::string keyName, char *value, unsigned int valueLen);
 	static std::string GetString(std::string keyName);
+	static std::string GetString(std::string keyName, std::string defaultValue);
 
 	static void PutValue(std::string keyName, ComplexData& value);
 	static void RetrieveValue(std::string keyName, ComplexData& value);
diff --git a/wpilibc/wpilibC++/src/SmartDashboard/SmartDashboard.cpp b/wpilibc/wpilibC++/src/SmartDashboard/SmartDashboard.cpp
index da4a63af03..163a8c3959 100644
--- a/wpilibc/wpilibC++/src/SmartDashboard/SmartDashboard.cpp
+++ b/wpilibc/wpilibC++/src/SmartDashboard/SmartDashboard.cpp
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ void SmartDashboard::PutBoolean(std::string keyName, bool value)
 }
 
 /**
- * Returns the value at the specified key.
+ * Returns the value at the specified key. Throws an exception if the key is not found in the table
  * @param keyName the key
  * @return the value
  */
@@ -119,6 +119,16 @@ bool SmartDashboard::GetBoolean(std::string keyName)
 	return m_table->GetBoolean(keyName);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns the value at the specified key. If the key is not found, returns the default value.
+ * @param keyName the key
+ * @return the value
+ */
+bool SmartDashboard::GetBoolean(std::string keyName, bool defaultValue)
+{
+	return m_table->GetBoolean(keyName, defaultValue);
+}
+
 /**
  * Maps the specified key to the specified value in this table.
  * The key can not be NULL.
@@ -131,7 +141,7 @@ void SmartDashboard::PutNumber(std::string keyName, double value){
 }
 
 /**
- * Returns the value at the specified key.
+ * Returns the value at the specified key. Throws an exception if the key is not found in the table.
  * @param keyName the key
  * @return the value
  */
@@ -140,6 +150,16 @@ double SmartDashboard::GetNumber(std::string keyName)
 	return m_table->GetNumber(keyName);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns the value at the specified key. If the key is not found, returns the default value.
+ * @param keyName the key
+ * @return the value
+ */
+double SmartDashboard::GetNumber(std::string keyName, double defaultValue)
+{
+	return m_table->GetNumber(keyName, defaultValue);
+}
+
 /**
  * Maps the specified key to the specified value in this table.
  * Neither the key nor the value can be NULL.
@@ -170,7 +190,7 @@ int SmartDashboard::GetString(std::string keyName, char *outBuffer, unsigned int
 
 
 /**
- * Returns the value at the specified key.
+ * Returns the value at the specified key. Throws an exception if the key is not found in the table
  * @param keyName the key
  * @return the value
  */
@@ -178,3 +198,13 @@ std::string SmartDashboard::GetString(std::string keyName)
 {
 	return m_table->GetString(keyName);
 }
+
+/**
+ * Returns the value at the specified key. If the key is not found, returns the default value.
+ * @param keyName the key
+ * @return the value
+ */
+std::string SmartDashboard::GetString(std::string keyName, std::string defaultValue)
+{
+	return m_table->GetString(keyName, defaultValue);
+}