diff --git a/src/core/object.cc b/src/core/object.cc
index dac166c7d..e608b181f 100644
--- a/src/core/object.cc
+++ b/src/core/object.cc
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ Parameters::DoSet (Ptr<const ParamSpec> spec, std::string value)
     {
       return false;
     }
-  PValue v = spec->CreateInitialValue ();
+  PValue v = spec->CreateValue ();
   bool ok = v.DeserializeFromString (value, spec);
   if (!ok)
     {
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ Parameters::DeserializeFromString (std::string str)
                 value = str.substr (equal+1, next - (equal+1));
                 cur++;
               }
-            PValue val = spec->CreateInitialValue ();
+            PValue val = spec->CreateValue ();
             bool ok = val.DeserializeFromString (value, spec);
             if (!ok)
               {
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ Object::Construct (const Parameters &parameters)
         if (!found)
           {
             // No matching parameter value so we set the default value.
-            PValue initial = paramSpec->CreateInitialValue ();
+            PValue initial = paramSpec->GetInitialValue ();
             paramSpec->Set (this, initial);
             NS_LOG_DEBUG ("construct \""<< tid.GetName ()<<"::"<<
                           tid.GetParameterName (i)<<"\" from local");
@@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ Object::Set (std::string name, std::string value)
     {
       return false;
     }
-  PValue v = spec->CreateInitialValue ();
+  PValue v = spec->CreateValue ();
   bool ok = v.DeserializeFromString (value, spec);
   if (!ok)
     {
@@ -951,7 +951,7 @@ Object::Get (std::string name, std::string &value) const
     {
       return false;
     }
-  PValue v = paramSpec->CreateInitialValue ();
+  PValue v = paramSpec->CreateValue ();
   bool ok = paramSpec->Get (this, v);
   if (ok)
     {
@@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ Object::Get (std::string name) const
     {
       return PValue ();
     }
-  PValue value = paramSpec->CreateInitialValue ();
+  PValue value = paramSpec->CreateValue ();
   bool ok = paramSpec->Get (this, value);
   if (!ok)
     {
diff --git a/src/core/param-spec-helper.h b/src/core/param-spec-helper.h
index 5e024893e..77851e632 100644
--- a/src/core/param-spec-helper.h
+++ b/src/core/param-spec-helper.h
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ public:
   virtual bool Set (ObjectBase * object, PValue value) const;
   virtual bool Get (const ObjectBase * object, PValue value) const;
   virtual bool Check (PValue value) const;
-  virtual PValue CreateInitialValue (void) const;
+  virtual PValue GetInitialValue (void) const;
+  virtual PValue CreateValue (void) const;
 
 private:
   virtual void DoSet (T *object, const U *v) const = 0;
@@ -244,11 +245,18 @@ ParamSpecHelper<T,U,CHECKER>::Check (PValue value) const
 }
 template <typename T, typename U, typename CHECKER>
 PValue
-ParamSpecHelper<T,U,CHECKER>::CreateInitialValue (void) const
+ParamSpecHelper<T,U,CHECKER>::GetInitialValue (void) const
 {
   return m_initialValue;
 }
 
+template <typename T, typename U, typename CHECKER>
+PValue
+ParamSpecHelper<T,U,CHECKER>::CreateValue (void) const
+{
+  return m_initialValue.Copy ();
+}
+
 } // namespace ns3
 
 #endif /* PARAM_SPEC_HELPER_H */
diff --git a/src/core/value.h b/src/core/value.h
index 652d5e1f1..db5bf22b6 100644
--- a/src/core/value.h
+++ b/src/core/value.h
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ public:
   virtual bool Set (ObjectBase * object, PValue value) const = 0;
   virtual bool Get (const ObjectBase * object, PValue value) const = 0;
   virtual bool Check (PValue value) const = 0;
-  virtual PValue CreateInitialValue (void) const = 0;
+  virtual PValue GetInitialValue (void) const = 0;
+  virtual PValue CreateValue (void) const = 0;
 private:
   mutable uint32_t m_count;
 };
@@ -246,7 +247,10 @@ public:
         }
       return true;
     }
-    virtual PValue CreateInitialValue (void) const {
+    virtual PValue GetInitialValue (void) const {
+      return CreateValue ();
+    }
+    virtual PValue CreateValue (void) const {
       return PValue::Create<PtrValue<U> > (Ptr<U> (0));
     }
 private: