diff --git a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/node.hpp b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/node.hpp
index 035c49c..d2a996d 100644
--- a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/node.hpp
+++ b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/node.hpp
@@ -321,6 +321,24 @@ public:
     ParameterT & value,
     const ParameterT & alternative_value) const;
 
+  /// Get the parameter value; if not set, set the "alternative value" and store it in the node.
+  /**
+   * If the parameter is set, then the "value" argument is assigned the value
+   * in the parameter.
+   * If the parameter is not set, then the "value" argument is assigned the "alternative_value",
+   * and the parameter is set to the "alternative_value" on the node.
+   *
+   * \param[in] name The name of the parameter to get.
+   * \param[out] value The output where the value of the parameter should be assigned.
+   * \param[in] alternative_value Value to be stored in output and parameter if the parameter was not set.
+   */
+  template<typename ParameterT>
+  void
+  get_parameter_or_set(
+    const std::string & name,
+    ParameterT & value,
+    const ParameterT & alternative_value);
+
   RCLCPP_PUBLIC
   std::vector<rcl_interfaces::msg::ParameterDescriptor>
   describe_parameters(const std::vector<std::string> & names) const;
diff --git a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/node_impl.hpp b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/node_impl.hpp
index 716266f..c664b55 100644
--- a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/node_impl.hpp
+++ b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/node_impl.hpp
@@ -250,6 +250,22 @@ Node::get_parameter_or(
   return got_parameter;
 }
 
+template<typename ParameterT>
+void
+Node::get_parameter_or_set(
+  const std::string & name,
+  ParameterT & value,
+  const ParameterT & alternative_value)
+{
+  bool got_parameter = get_parameter(name, value);
+  if (!got_parameter) {
+    this->set_parameters({
+        rclcpp::Parameter(name, alternative_value),
+      });
+    value = alternative_value;
+  }
+}
+
 }  // namespace rclcpp
 
 #endif  // RCLCPP__NODE_IMPL_HPP_