diff --git a/common/params_keys.h b/common/params_keys.h
index 3d7281bf9..c54600462 100644
--- a/common/params_keys.h
+++ b/common/params_keys.h
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ inline static std::unordered_map<std::string, ParamKeyAttributes> keys = {
     {"LastOffroadStatusPacket", {CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START | CLEAR_ON_OFFROAD_TRANSITION, JSON}},
     {"LastPowerDropDetected", {CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START, STRING}},
     {"LastUpdateException", {CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START, STRING}},
-    {"LastUpdateRouteCount", {PERSISTENT, INT}},
+    {"LastUpdateRouteCount", {PERSISTENT, INT, "0"}},
     {"LastUpdateTime", {PERSISTENT, TIME}},
-    {"LastUpdateUptimeOnroad", {PERSISTENT, FLOAT}},
+    {"LastUpdateUptimeOnroad", {PERSISTENT, FLOAT, "0.0"}},
     {"LiveDelay", {PERSISTENT, BYTES}},
     {"LiveParameters", {PERSISTENT, JSON}},
     {"LiveParametersV2", {PERSISTENT, BYTES}},
diff --git a/system/updated/updated.py b/system/updated/updated.py
index 1fd9e8b71..72f9de7d0 100755
--- a/system/updated/updated.py
+++ b/system/updated/updated.py
@@ -283,8 +283,8 @@ class Updater:
       self.params.put("LastUpdateUptimeOnroad", last_uptime_onroad)
       self.params.put("LastUpdateRouteCount", last_route_count)
     else:
-      last_uptime_onroad = self.params.get("LastUpdateUptimeOnroad") or last_uptime_onroad
-      last_route_count = self.params.get("LastUpdateRouteCount") or last_route_count
+      last_uptime_onroad = self.params.get("LastUpdateUptimeOnroad", return_default=True)
+      last_route_count = self.params.get("LastUpdateRouteCount", return_default=True)
 
     if exception is None:
       self.params.remove("LastUpdateException")