diff --git a/src/canmatrix/formats/dbc.py b/src/canmatrix/formats/dbc.py
index 6c4e3c5e..28e2b227 100644
--- a/src/canmatrix/formats/dbc.py
+++ b/src/canmatrix/formats/dbc.py
@@ -241,8 +241,10 @@ def dump(in_db, f, **options):
                 db.add_signal_defines("GenSigStartValue", 'FLOAT 0 100000000000')
                 
             if "GenSigStartValue" in db.signal_defines:
-                signal.add_attribute("GenSigStartValue", signal.phys2raw(None))
-
+                if signal.phys2raw(None) != 0:
+                    if db.signal_defines["GenSigStartValue"].defaultValue is None:
+                        signal.add_attribute("GenSigStartValue", signal.phys2raw(None))
+                        
             name = normalized_names[signal]
             if compatibility:
                 name = re.sub("[^A-Za-z0-9]", whitespace_replacement, name)
@@ -953,7 +955,11 @@ def add_frame_by_id(new_frame):  # type: (canmatrix.Frame) -> None
         #     frame.extended = 1
 
         for signal in frame.signals:
-            default_value = signal.phys2raw(None)
+            if "GenSigStartValue" in db.signal_defines \
+                    and db.signal_defines["GenSigStartValue"].defaultValue is not None:
+                default_value = signal.phys2raw(float_factory(db.signal_defines["GenSigStartValue"].defaultValue))
+            else:
+                default_value = signal.phys2raw(None)
             gen_sig_start_value = float_factory(signal.attributes.get("GenSigStartValue", default_value))
             signal.initial_value = (gen_sig_start_value * signal.factor) + signal.offset
             signal.cycle_time = int(signal.attributes.get("GenSigCycleTime", 0))
diff --git a/tests/test_dbc.py b/tests/test_dbc.py
index ae77ffb5..2f82602f 100644
--- a/tests/test_dbc.py
+++ b/tests/test_dbc.py
@@ -540,9 +540,52 @@ def test_default_initial_value():
 
     matrix = canmatrix.formats.dbc.load(dbc, dbcImportEncoding="utf8")
     assert matrix.frames[0].signals[0].initial_value == 10
-#    outdbc = io.BytesIO()
-#    canmatrix.formats.dump(matrix, outdbc, "dbc")
 
+def test_keep_individual_inital_value():
+    dbc = io.BytesIO(textwrap.dedent(u'''\
+        BO_ 561 ECU1_Message2: 1 ECU1
+            SG_ ECU2_Signal2 : 0|8@0+ (2,0) [-2|250] "g" ECU2
+
+        BA_DEF_ SG_ "GenSigStartValue" FLOAT 0.0 100.0;
+        
+        BA_DEF_DEF_ "GenSigStartValue" 10.0;
+        BA_ "GenSigStartValue" SG_ 561 ECU2_Signal2 42;
+    ''').encode('utf-8'))
+    matrix1 = canmatrix.formats.dbc.load(dbc, dbcImportEncoding="utf8")
+    assert matrix1.frames[0].signals[0].initial_value == decimal.Decimal('84')  # in matrix should be the physical value!
+    outdbc = io.BytesIO()
+    canmatrix.formats.dump(matrix1, outdbc, "dbc")
+    # in dbc should be the raw value
+    assert  'BA_ "GenSigStartValue" SG_ 561 ECU2_Signal2 42' in outdbc.getvalue().decode('utf8')
+
+
+def test_individual_initial_value_merge():
+    dbc1 = io.BytesIO(textwrap.dedent(u'''\
+            BO_ 560 ECU1_Message: 1 ECU1
+              SG_ ECU2_Signal : 0|8@0+ (1,-5) [-2|250] "g" ECU2
+
+            BA_DEF_ SG_ "GenSigStartValue" FLOAT 0.0 100.0;
+            
+            BA_DEF_DEF_ "GenSigStartValue" 10.0;
+    ''').encode('utf-8'))
+
+    dbc2 = io.BytesIO(textwrap.dedent(u'''\
+            BO_ 561 ECU1_Message2: 1 ECU1
+              SG_ ECU2_Signal2 : 0|8@0+ (1,0) [-2|250] "g" ECU2
+
+            BA_DEF_ SG_ "GenSigStartValue" FLOAT 0.0 100.0;
+            
+            BA_DEF_DEF_ "GenSigStartValue" 10.0;
+            BA_ "GenSigStartValue" SG_ 561 ECU2_Signal2 42;
+    ''').encode('utf-8'))
+
+    matrix1 = canmatrix.formats.dbc.load(dbc1, dbcImportEncoding="utf8")
+    matrix2 = canmatrix.formats.dbc.load(dbc2, dbcImportEncoding="utf8")
+    matrix1.merge([matrix2])
+    outdbc = io.BytesIO()
+    canmatrix.formats.dump(matrix1, outdbc, "dbc")
+
+    assert  'BA_ "GenSigStartValue" SG_ 561 ECU2_Signal2 42' in outdbc.getvalue().decode('utf8')
 
 def test_no_initial_value():
     dbc = io.BytesIO(textwrap.dedent(u'''\