diff --git a/src/FactSystem/ParameterManager.cc b/src/FactSystem/ParameterManager.cc
index 3ad3112ecc6bc99acc1629349d2fd288a67e00ce..0f1c5d83eec6c00f38631d33196e3752198c88e5 100644
--- a/src/FactSystem/ParameterManager.cc
+++ b/src/FactSystem/ParameterManager.cc
@@ -219,7 +219,13 @@ void ParameterManager::_parameterUpdate(int vehicleId, int componentId, QString
         _waitingParamTimeoutTimer.start();
         qCDebug(ParameterManagerVerbose1Log) << _logVehiclePrefix() << "Restarting _waitingParamTimeoutTimer: totalWaitingParamCount:" << totalWaitingParamCount;
     } else {
-        qCDebug(ParameterManagerVerbose1Log) << _logVehiclePrefix() << "Not restarting _waitingParamTimeoutTimer (all requests satisfied)";
+        if (!_mapParameterName2Variant.contains(_vehicle->defaultComponentId())) {
+            // Still waiting for parameters from default component
+            qCDebug(ParameterManagerLog) << _logVehiclePrefix() << "Restarting _waitingParamTimeoutTimer (still waiting for default component params)";
+            _waitingParamTimeoutTimer.start();
+        } else {
+            qCDebug(ParameterManagerVerbose1Log) << _logVehiclePrefix() << "Not restarting _waitingParamTimeoutTimer (all requests satisfied)";
+        }
     }
 
     // Update progress bar for waiting reads
@@ -949,6 +955,11 @@ void ParameterManager::_checkInitialLoadComplete(void)
         }
     }
 
+    if (!_mapParameterName2Variant.contains(_vehicle->defaultComponentId())) {
+        // No default component params yet, not done yet
+        return;
+    }
+
     // We aren't waiting for any more initial parameter updates, initial parameter loading is complete
     _initialLoadComplete = true;