diff --git a/vaadin-date-picker-flow-parent/vaadin-date-picker-flow/src/main/java/com/vaadin/flow/component/datepicker/GeneratedVaadinDatePicker.java b/vaadin-date-picker-flow-parent/vaadin-date-picker-flow/src/main/java/com/vaadin/flow/component/datepicker/GeneratedVaadinDatePicker.java
index be8a8d0b61c..061f714b847 100644
--- a/vaadin-date-picker-flow-parent/vaadin-date-picker-flow/src/main/java/com/vaadin/flow/component/datepicker/GeneratedVaadinDatePicker.java
+++ b/vaadin-date-picker-flow-parent/vaadin-date-picker-flow/src/main/java/com/vaadin/flow/component/datepicker/GeneratedVaadinDatePicker.java
@@ -1197,8 +1197,13 @@ public <P> GeneratedVaadinDatePicker(T initialValue, T defaultValue,
             boolean isInitialValueOptional) {
         super("value", defaultValue, elementPropertyType, presentationToModel,
                 modelToPresentation);
+        // Only apply initial value if the element does not already have a value
+        // (this can be the case when binding to an existing element from a Lit
+        // template), or if isInitialValueOptional enforces setting the initial
+        // value, which is the case when calling a DatePicker constructor with a
+        // custom initial value.
         if ((getElement().getProperty("value") == null
-                || !isInitialValueOptional) && initialValue != null) {
+                || !isInitialValueOptional)) {
             setPresentationValue(initialValue);
         }
     }
@@ -1217,9 +1222,7 @@ public <P> GeneratedVaadinDatePicker(T initialValue, T defaultValue,
     public GeneratedVaadinDatePicker(T initialValue, T defaultValue,
             boolean acceptNullValues) {
         super("value", defaultValue, acceptNullValues);
-        if (initialValue != null) {
-            setPresentationValue(initialValue);
-        }
+        setPresentationValue(initialValue);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1247,9 +1250,7 @@ public <P> GeneratedVaadinDatePicker(T initialValue, T defaultValue,
             SerializableBiFunction<R, T, P> modelToPresentation) {
         super("value", defaultValue, elementPropertyType, presentationToModel,
                 modelToPresentation);
-        if (initialValue != null) {
-            setPresentationValue(initialValue);
-        }
+        setPresentationValue(initialValue);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/vaadin-date-picker-flow-parent/vaadin-date-picker-flow/src/test/java/com/vaadin/flow/component/datepicker/DatePickerTest.java b/vaadin-date-picker-flow-parent/vaadin-date-picker-flow/src/test/java/com/vaadin/flow/component/datepicker/DatePickerTest.java
index 55847081ad8..b6fe559d093 100644
--- a/vaadin-date-picker-flow-parent/vaadin-date-picker-flow/src/test/java/com/vaadin/flow/component/datepicker/DatePickerTest.java
+++ b/vaadin-date-picker-flow-parent/vaadin-date-picker-flow/src/test/java/com/vaadin/flow/component/datepicker/DatePickerTest.java
@@ -38,24 +38,24 @@ public class DatePickerTest {
 
     private static final String OPENED_PROPERTY_NOT_UPDATED = "The server-side \"opened\"-property was not updated synchronously";
 
-    private static final LocalDate TEST_VALUE = LocalDate.now();
-
-    private static class TestDatePicker
-            extends GeneratedVaadinDatePicker<TestDatePicker, LocalDate> {
+    @Test
+    public void initialValueIsNotSpecified_valuePropertyHasEmptyString() {
+        DatePicker picker = new DatePicker();
+        Assert.assertNull(picker.getValue());
+        Assert.assertEquals("", picker.getElement().getProperty("value"));
+    }
 
-        TestDatePicker() {
-            super(TEST_VALUE, null, String.class, value -> null, value -> null,
-                    true);
-        }
+    @Test
+    public void initialValueIsNull_valuePropertyHasEmptyString() {
+        DatePicker picker = new DatePicker((LocalDate) null);
+        Assert.assertNull(picker.getValue());
+        Assert.assertEquals("", picker.getElement().getProperty("value"));
     }
 
     @Test
     public void datePicker_basicCases() {
         DatePicker picker = new DatePicker();
 
-        Assert.assertNull(picker.getValue());
-        Assert.assertFalse(picker.getElement().hasProperty("value"));
-
         picker.setValue(LocalDate.of(2018, 4, 25));
         Assert.assertEquals("2018-04-25",
                 picker.getElement().getProperty("value"));
@@ -69,13 +69,6 @@ public void datePicker_basicCases() {
         Assert.assertNull(picker.getValue());
     }
 
-    @Test
-    public void defaultCtor_does_not_update_values() {
-        DatePicker picker = new DatePicker();
-        Assert.assertNull(picker.getValue());
-        Assert.assertNull(picker.getElement().getProperty("value"));
-    }
-
     @Test
     public void setInitialValue() {
         DatePicker picker = new DatePicker(LocalDate.of(2018, 4, 25));
@@ -142,12 +135,12 @@ public void elementHasValue_wrapIntoField_propertyIsNotSetToInitialValue() {
 
         Mockito.when(service.getInstantiator()).thenReturn(instantiator);
 
-        Mockito.when(instantiator.createComponent(TestDatePicker.class))
-                .thenAnswer(invocation -> new TestDatePicker());
+        Mockito.when(instantiator.createComponent(DatePicker.class))
+                .thenAnswer(invocation -> new DatePicker());
 
-        TestDatePicker field = Component.from(element, TestDatePicker.class);
+        DatePicker field = Component.from(element, DatePicker.class);
         Assert.assertEquals("2007-12-03",
-                field.getElement().getPropertyRaw("value"));
+                field.getElement().getProperty("value"));
     }
 
     public void assertClearButtonPropertyValueEquals(DatePicker picker,