diff --git a/packages/@sanity/base/test/mocks/schema.js b/packages/@sanity/base/test/mocks/schema.js
index 0e85db28953..0ab8137dfc5 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/base/test/mocks/schema.js
+++ b/packages/@sanity/base/test/mocks/schema.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const schema = {
     type: 'document',
     icon: Icon,
     fields: [],
-    initialValue: () => ({
+    initialValues: () => ({
       role: 'Developer'
     })
   },
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/desk-tool/test/mocks/schema.js b/packages/@sanity/desk-tool/test/mocks/schema.js
index 5cf9a35935e..5f30842a478 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/desk-tool/test/mocks/schema.js
+++ b/packages/@sanity/desk-tool/test/mocks/schema.js
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ function post() {
         media: 'mainImage'
       }
     },
-    initialValue: {
+    initialValues: {
       slug: {_type: 'slug', current: 'default-slug'}
     },
     orderings: [
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/src/builder.ts b/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/src/builder.ts
index 25f356f8e9e..7a9cb995d73 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/src/builder.ts
+++ b/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/src/builder.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function defaultTemplateForType(
     schemaType: type.name,
     title: type.title || type.name,
     icon: type.icon,
-    value: type.initialValue || {_type: type.name}
+    value: type.initialValues || {_type: type.name}
   })
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/src/parts/Schema.ts b/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/src/parts/Schema.ts
index f7c327bd2ad..707555f5c16 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/src/parts/Schema.ts
+++ b/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/src/parts/Schema.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export interface SchemaType {
   to?: SchemaField[]
   fields?: SchemaField[]
   orderings?: Ordering[]
-  initialValue?: Function | {[key: string]: any}
+  initialValues?: Function | {[key: string]: any}
   preview?: {
     select?: PreviewFields
     prepare?: PreviewPreparer
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/test/mocks/schema.js b/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/test/mocks/schema.js
index 7c971b596f1..d96bb1389be 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/test/mocks/schema.js
+++ b/packages/@sanity/initial-value-templates/test/mocks/schema.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const schema = {
     type: 'document',
     icon: Icon,
     fields: [],
-    initialValue: () => ({
+    initialValues: () => ({
       role: 'Developer'
     })
   },
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/schema/src/sanity/validation/types/document.js b/packages/@sanity/schema/src/sanity/validation/types/document.js
index 8eb3458d38f..ae0a6157317 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/schema/src/sanity/validation/types/document.js
+++ b/packages/@sanity/schema/src/sanity/validation/types/document.js
@@ -4,14 +4,18 @@ import object from './object'
 
 export default (typeDefinition, visitorContext) => {
   const typeDef = object(typeDefinition, visitorContext)
-  const {initialValue} = typeDef
+  const {initialValue, initialValues} = typeDef
 
-  const hasInitialValue = typeof initialValue !== 'undefined'
-  if (hasInitialValue && !isPlainObject(initialValue) && typeof initialValue !== 'function') {
+  const hasInitialValues = typeof initialValues !== 'undefined'
+  if (hasInitialValues && !isPlainObject(initialValues) && typeof initialValues !== 'function') {
     typeDef._problems.push(
-      error(`The "initialValue" property must be either a plain object or a function`)
+      error(`The "initialValues" property must be either a plain object or a function`)
     )
   }
 
+  if (typeof initialValue !== 'undefined') {
+    typeDef._problems.push(error(`Found property "initialValue" - did you mean "initialValues"?`))
+  }
+
   return typeDef
 }
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/structure/test/__snapshots__/DocumentListItem.test.ts.snap b/packages/@sanity/structure/test/__snapshots__/DocumentListItem.test.ts.snap
index 49c28732b86..b986dd70f53 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/structure/test/__snapshots__/DocumentListItem.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/@sanity/structure/test/__snapshots__/DocumentListItem.test.ts.snap
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ Object {
       },
     ],
     "icon": [Function],
-    "initialValue": Object {
+    "initialValues": Object {
       "slug": Object {
         "_type": "slug",
         "current": "default-slug",
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ Object {
       },
     ],
     "icon": [Function],
-    "initialValue": Object {
+    "initialValues": Object {
       "slug": Object {
         "_type": "slug",
         "current": "default-slug",
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ Object {
       },
     ],
     "icon": [Function],
-    "initialValue": Object {
+    "initialValues": Object {
       "slug": Object {
         "_type": "slug",
         "current": "default-slug",
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/structure/test/__snapshots__/documentTypeListItems.test.ts.snap b/packages/@sanity/structure/test/__snapshots__/documentTypeListItems.test.ts.snap
index 9dc5d7f3caa..5002677729f 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/structure/test/__snapshots__/documentTypeListItems.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/@sanity/structure/test/__snapshots__/documentTypeListItems.test.ts.snap
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ Array [
           },
         ],
         "icon": [Function],
-        "initialValue": Object {
+        "initialValues": Object {
           "slug": Object {
             "_type": "slug",
             "current": "default-slug",
@@ -1031,7 +1031,7 @@ Array [
           },
         ],
         "icon": [Function],
-        "initialValue": Object {
+        "initialValues": Object {
           "slug": Object {
             "_type": "slug",
             "current": "default-slug",
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/structure/test/mocks/schema.js b/packages/@sanity/structure/test/mocks/schema.js
index 5cf9a35935e..5f30842a478 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/structure/test/mocks/schema.js
+++ b/packages/@sanity/structure/test/mocks/schema.js
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ function post() {
         media: 'mainImage'
       }
     },
-    initialValue: {
+    initialValues: {
       slug: {_type: 'slug', current: 'default-slug'}
     },
     orderings: [
diff --git a/packages/test-studio/schemas/author.js b/packages/test-studio/schemas/author.js
index 025f2ccd682..c51244aa60c 100644
--- a/packages/test-studio/schemas/author.js
+++ b/packages/test-studio/schemas/author.js
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ export default {
     }
   ],
 
-  initialValue: () =>
+  initialValues: () =>
     new Promise(resolve =>
       setTimeout(resolve, 2500, {
         name: 'Foo',
diff --git a/packages/test-studio/schemas/book.js b/packages/test-studio/schemas/book.js
index 7f989c51550..9eba58fa31d 100644
--- a/packages/test-studio/schemas/book.js
+++ b/packages/test-studio/schemas/book.js
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ export default {
       })
     }
   },
-  initialValue: {
+  initialValues: {
     title: 'Foo'
   }
 }