diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/param.h b/src/lib/parameters/param.h
index 177cf17b2d..f5ef83dbf5 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/param.h
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/param.h
@@ -215,13 +215,22 @@ __EXPORT size_t		param_size(param_t param);
 __EXPORT int		param_get(param_t param, void *val);
 
 /**
- * Copy the default value of a parameter.
+ * Copy the (airframe-specific) default value of a parameter.
  *
  * @param param		A handle returned by param_find or passed by param_foreach.
- * @param val		Where to return the value, assumed to point to suitable storage for the parameter type.
+ * @param default_val		Where to return the value, assumed to point to suitable storage for the parameter type.
  * @return		Zero if the parameter's deafult value could be returned, nonzero otherwise.
  */
-__EXPORT int		param_get_default_value(param_t param, void *val);
+__EXPORT int		param_get_default_value(param_t param, void *default_val);
+
+/**
+ * Copy the system-wide default value of a parameter.
+ *
+ * @param param		A handle returned by param_find or passed by param_foreach.
+ * @param default_val		Where to return the value, assumed to point to suitable storage for the parameter type.
+ * @return		Zero if the parameter's deafult value could be returned, nonzero otherwise.
+ */
+__EXPORT int		param_get_system_default_value(param_t param, void *default_val);
 
 /**
  * Set the value of a parameter.
diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp b/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp
index ec2728cbd0..a7745e45ea 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp
@@ -617,6 +617,34 @@ bool param_value_is_default(param_t param)
 	return false;
 }
 
+int
+param_get_system_default_value(param_t param, void *default_val)
+{
+	if (!handle_in_range(param)) {
+		return PX4_ERROR;
+	}
+
+	int ret = PX4_OK;
+	param_lock_reader();
+
+	switch (param_type(param)) {
+	case PARAM_TYPE_INT32:
+		memcpy(default_val, &px4::parameters[param].val.i, param_size(param));
+		break;
+
+	case PARAM_TYPE_FLOAT:
+		memcpy(default_val, &px4::parameters[param].val.f, param_size(param));
+		break;
+
+	default:
+		ret = PX4_ERROR;
+		break;
+	}
+
+	param_unlock_reader();
+	return ret;
+}
+
 /**
  * worker callback method to save the parameters
  * @param arg unused