diff --git a/include/linux/drbd_genl.h b/include/linux/drbd_genl.h
index 10144d5..5498006 100644
--- a/include/linux/drbd_genl.h
+++ b/include/linux/drbd_genl.h
@@ -110,63 +110,62 @@
 	 * but it won't propagate through the stack */
 	__u32_field(5, GENLA_F_MANDATORY | GENLA_F_INVARIANT,	max_bio_bvecs)
 
-	__u32_field(6, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	on_io_error)
-	__u32_field(7, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	fencing)
+	__u32_field_def(6, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	on_io_error, DRBD_ON_IO_ERROR_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(7, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	fencing, DRBD_FENCING_DEF)
 
-	__u32_field(8,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	resync_rate)
-	__u32_field(9,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	resync_after)
-	__u32_field(10,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	al_extents)
-	__u32_field(11,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_plan_ahead)
-	__u32_field(12,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_delay_target)
-	__u32_field(13,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_fill_target)
-	__u32_field(14,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_max_rate)
-	__u32_field(15,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_min_rate)
+	__u32_field_def(8,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	resync_rate, DRBD_RATE_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(9,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	resync_after, DRBD_AFTER_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(10,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	al_extents, DRBD_AL_EXTENTS_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(11,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_plan_ahead, DRBD_C_PLAN_AHEAD_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(12,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_delay_target, DRBD_C_DELAY_TARGET_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(13,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_fill_target, DRBD_C_FILL_TARGET_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(14,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_max_rate, DRBD_C_MAX_RATE_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(15,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	c_min_rate, DRBD_C_MIN_RATE_DEF)
 
-	__flg_field(16, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_disk_barrier)
-	__flg_field(17, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_disk_flush)
-	__flg_field(18, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_disk_drain)
-	__flg_field(19, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_md_flush)
-
+	__flg_field_def(16, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_disk_barrier, 0)
+	__flg_field_def(17, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_disk_flush, 0)
+	__flg_field_def(18, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_disk_drain, 0)
+	__flg_field_def(19, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_md_flush, 0)
 )
 
 GENL_struct(DRBD_NLA_RESOURCE_OPTS, 4, res_opts,
-	__str_field(1,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	cpu_mask,       32)
-	__u32_field(2,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	on_no_data)
+	__str_field_def(1,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	cpu_mask,       32)
+	__u32_field_def(2,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	on_no_data, DRBD_ON_NO_DATA_DEF)
 )
 
 GENL_struct(DRBD_NLA_NET_CONF, 5, net_conf,
 	__bin_field(1,	GENLA_F_REQUIRED | GENLA_F_INVARIANT,	my_addr,	128)
 	__bin_field(2,	GENLA_F_REQUIRED | GENLA_F_INVARIANT,	peer_addr,	128)
-	__str_field(3,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY | GENLA_F_SENSITIVE,
+	__str_field_def(3,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY | GENLA_F_SENSITIVE,
 						shared_secret,	SHARED_SECRET_MAX)
-	__str_field(4,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	cram_hmac_alg,	SHARED_SECRET_MAX)
-	__str_field(5,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	integrity_alg,	SHARED_SECRET_MAX)
-	__str_field(6,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	verify_alg,     SHARED_SECRET_MAX)
-	__str_field(7,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	csums_alg,	SHARED_SECRET_MAX)
-	__u32_field(8,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	wire_protocol)
-	__u32_field(9,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	try_connect_int)
-	__u32_field(10,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	timeout)
-	__u32_field(11,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	ping_int)
-	__u32_field(12,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	ping_timeo)
-	__u32_field(13,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	sndbuf_size)
-	__u32_field(14,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	rcvbuf_size)
-	__u32_field(15,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	ko_count)
-	__u32_field(16,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	max_buffers)
-	__u32_field(17,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	max_epoch_size)
-	__u32_field(18,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	unplug_watermark)
-	__u32_field(19,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	after_sb_0p)
-	__u32_field(20,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	after_sb_1p)
-	__u32_field(21,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	after_sb_2p)
-	__u32_field(22,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	rr_conflict)
-	__u32_field(23,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	on_congestion)
-	__u32_field(24,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	cong_fill)
-	__u32_field(25,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	cong_extents)
-	__flg_field(26, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	two_primaries)
+	__str_field_def(4,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	cram_hmac_alg,	SHARED_SECRET_MAX)
+	__str_field_def(5,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	integrity_alg,	SHARED_SECRET_MAX)
+	__str_field_def(6,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	verify_alg,     SHARED_SECRET_MAX)
+	__str_field_def(7,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	csums_alg,	SHARED_SECRET_MAX)
+	__u32_field_def(8,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	wire_protocol, DRBD_PROTOCOL_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(9,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	try_connect_int, DRBD_CONNECT_INT_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(10,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	timeout, DRBD_TIMEOUT_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(11,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	ping_int, DRBD_PING_INT_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(12,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	ping_timeo, DRBD_PING_TIMEO_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(13,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	sndbuf_size, DRBD_SNDBUF_SIZE_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(14,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	rcvbuf_size, DRBD_RCVBUF_SIZE_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(15,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	ko_count, DRBD_KO_COUNT_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(16,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	max_buffers, DRBD_MAX_BUFFERS_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(17,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	max_epoch_size, DRBD_MAX_EPOCH_SIZE_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(18,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	unplug_watermark, DRBD_UNPLUG_WATERMARK_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(19,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	after_sb_0p, DRBD_AFTER_SB_0P_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(20,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	after_sb_1p, DRBD_AFTER_SB_1P_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(21,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	after_sb_2p, DRBD_AFTER_SB_2P_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(22,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	rr_conflict, DRBD_RR_CONFLICT_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(23,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	on_congestion, DRBD_ON_CONGESTION_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(24,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	cong_fill, DRBD_CONG_FILL_DEF)
+	__u32_field_def(25,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	cong_extents, DRBD_CONG_EXTENTS_DEF)
+	__flg_field_def(26, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	two_primaries, 0)
 	__flg_field(27, GENLA_F_MANDATORY | GENLA_F_INVARIANT,	want_lose)
-	__flg_field(28, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_cork)
-	__flg_field(29, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	always_asbp)
+	__flg_field_def(28, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	no_cork, 0)
+	__flg_field_def(29, GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	always_asbp, 0)
 	__flg_field(30, GENLA_F_MANDATORY | GENLA_F_INVARIANT,	dry_run)
-	__flg_field(31,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	use_rle)
+	__flg_field_def(31,	GENLA_F_MANDATORY,	use_rle, 0)
 )
 
 GENL_struct(DRBD_NLA_SET_ROLE_PARMS, 6, set_role_parms,
diff --git a/include/linux/genl_magic_func.h b/include/linux/genl_magic_func.h
index e458282..e908f1c 100644
--- a/include/linux/genl_magic_func.h
+++ b/include/linux/genl_magic_func.h
@@ -427,6 +427,32 @@
 
 #include GENL_MAGIC_INCLUDE_FILE
 
+
+/* Functions for initializing structs to default values.  */
+
+#undef __field
+#define __field(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, nla_type, type, __get, __put)
+#undef __array
+#define __array(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, nla_type, type, maxlen, __get, __put)
+#undef __u32_field_def
+#define __u32_field_def(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, default)		\
+	x->name = default;
+#undef __flg_field_def
+#define __flg_field_def(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, default)		\
+	x->name = default;
+#undef __str_field_def
+#define __str_field_def(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, maxlen)		\
+	memset(x->name, 0, sizeof(x->name));				\
+	x->name ## _len = 0;
+#undef GENL_struct
+#define GENL_struct(tag_name, tag_number, s_name, s_fields)		\
+static void set_ ## s_name ## _defaults(struct s_name *x) __attribute__((unused)); \
+static void set_ ## s_name ## _defaults(struct s_name *x) {	\
+s_fields								\
+}
+
+#include GENL_MAGIC_INCLUDE_FILE
+
 #endif /* __KERNEL__ */
 
 /* }}}1 */
diff --git a/include/linux/genl_magic_struct.h b/include/linux/genl_magic_struct.h
index 9a605b9..f2c7cc7 100644
--- a/include/linux/genl_magic_struct.h
+++ b/include/linux/genl_magic_struct.h
@@ -107,6 +107,14 @@
 	__array(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, NLA_BINARY, char, maxlen, \
 			nla_memcpy, NLA_PUT)
 
+/* fields with default values */
+#define __flg_field_def(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, default) \
+	__flg_field(attr_nr, attr_flag, name)
+#define __u32_field_def(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, default) \
+	__u32_field(attr_nr, attr_flag, name)
+#define __str_field_def(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, maxlen) \
+	__str_field(attr_nr, attr_flag, name, maxlen)
+
 #define __nla_put_flag(skb, attrtype, value)		\
 	do {						\
 		if (value)				\