diff --git a/libraries/PID/PID.cpp b/libraries/PID/PID.cpp
index 71079cdbe8..c88ae72eda 100644
--- a/libraries/PID/PID.cpp
+++ b/libraries/PID/PID.cpp
@@ -14,22 +14,22 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo PID::var_info[] = {
     // @Param: P
     // @DisplayName: PID Proportional Gain
     // @Description: P Gain which produces an output value that is proportional to the current error value
-    AP_GROUPINFO("P",    0, PID, _kp, 0),
+    AP_GROUPINFO_FLAGS_DEFAULT_POINTER("P",    0, PID, _kp, default_kp),
 
     // @Param: I
     // @DisplayName: PID Integral Gain
     // @Description: I Gain which produces an output that is proportional to both the magnitude and the duration of the error
-    AP_GROUPINFO("I",    1, PID, _ki, 0),
+    AP_GROUPINFO_FLAGS_DEFAULT_POINTER("I",    1, PID, _ki, default_ki),
 
     // @Param: D
     // @DisplayName: PID Derivative Gain
     // @Description: D Gain which produces an output that is proportional to the rate of change of the error
-    AP_GROUPINFO("D",    2, PID, _kd, 0),
+    AP_GROUPINFO_FLAGS_DEFAULT_POINTER("D",    2, PID, _kd, default_kd),
 
     // @Param: IMAX
     // @DisplayName: PID Integral Maximum
     // @Description: The maximum/minimum value that the I term can output
-    AP_GROUPINFO("IMAX", 3, PID, _imax, 0),
+    AP_GROUPINFO_FLAGS_DEFAULT_POINTER("IMAX", 3, PID, _imax, default_kimax),
 
     AP_GROUPEND
 };
diff --git a/libraries/PID/PID.h b/libraries/PID/PID.h
index 0cb13b1257..2d5008d388 100644
--- a/libraries/PID/PID.h
+++ b/libraries/PID/PID.h
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@ public:
     PID(const float &   initial_p = 0.0f,
         const float &   initial_i = 0.0f,
         const float &   initial_d = 0.0f,
-        const int16_t & initial_imax = 0)
+        const int16_t & initial_imax = 0):
+            default_kp(initial_p),
+            default_ki(initial_i),
+            default_kd(initial_d),
+            default_kimax(initial_imax)
     {
 		AP_Param::setup_object_defaults(this, var_info);
-        _kp.set_and_default(initial_p);
-        _ki.set_and_default(initial_i);
-        _kd.set_and_default(initial_d);
-        _imax.set_and_default(initial_imax);
 
 		// set _last_derivative as invalid when we startup
 		_last_derivative = NAN;
@@ -121,4 +121,9 @@ private:
     /// http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-pass_filter.
     ///
     static const uint8_t        _fCut = 20;
+
+    const float default_kp;
+    const float default_ki;
+    const float default_kd;
+    const float default_kimax;
 };