diff --git a/src/Mod/Import/Init.py b/src/Mod/Import/Init.py
index 510bf10b15..a8d41d69e3 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Import/Init.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Import/Init.py
@@ -32,3 +32,16 @@
 #FreeCAD.addExportType("STEP 214 (*.step *.stp)","ImportGui")
 #FreeCAD.addExportType("IGES files (*.iges *.igs)","ImportGui")
 FreeCAD.addImportType("PLMXML files (*.plmxml)","PlmXmlParser")
+
+# Add initial parameters value if they are not set
+
+paramGetV = FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Import/hSTEP")
+ReadShapeCompoundMode_status=paramGetV.GetBool("ReadShapeCompoundMode")
+if not ReadShapeCompoundMode_status:
+    paramGetV.SetBool("ReadShapeCompoundMode",False)
+Scheme_203_status=paramGetV.GetBool("Scheme_214")
+if not Scheme_203_status:
+    paramGetV.SetBool("Scheme_203",False)
+Scheme_214_status=paramGetV.GetBool("Scheme_214")
+if not Scheme_214_status:
+    paramGetV.SetBool("Scheme_214",True)
diff --git a/src/Mod/Import/Resources/ui/preferences-import.ui b/src/Mod/Import/Resources/ui/preferences-import.ui
index 2276c9a1ba..103a895996 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Import/Resources/ui/preferences-import.ui
+++ b/src/Mod/Import/Resources/ui/preferences-import.ui
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
         <string notr="true">AP 203</string>
        </property>
        <property name="checked" >
-        <bool>true</bool>
+        <bool>false</bool>
        </property>
        <property name="prefEntry" stdset="0">
         <cstring>Scheme_203</cstring>
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
       <string>If this is checked, no Compound merge will be done during file reading (slower but higher details).</string>
      </property>
      <property name="text">
-      <string>Disable STEP Compound merge</string>
+      <string>Enable STEP Compound merge</string>
      </property>
      <property name="checked">
        <bool>false</bool>