diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d464b3d2..f17dfb00 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 ## 7.1.0
 Expected: May 2024
 
+### Corrected Bugs
+
+* Fixed: [Startup and default of same object causes too-many-elements error](https://github.com/clicon/clixon/issues/503)
+
 ## 7.0.0
 8 March 2024
 
@@ -107,7 +111,7 @@ Developers may need to change their code
       * `clicon_strerror(int)` -> `clixon_err_str()`
       * `clicon_netconf_error(h, x, fmt)` -> clixon_err_netconf(h, OE_XML, 0, x, fmt)`
       * `netconf_err2cb(...)` --> `netconf_err2cb(h, ...)`
-      * Likewise for some other minor functions: `clicon_err_*` -> `clixon_err_*` 
+      * Likewise for some other minor functions: `clicon_err_*` -> `clixon_err_*`
     * Replaced global variables with access functions. Replace variables with functions as follows:
       * `clicon_errno`    -> `clixon_err_category()`
       * `clicon_suberrno` -> `clixon_err_subnr()`
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_datastore_read.c b/lib/src/clixon_datastore_read.c
index 230e41f9..a15c0807 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_datastore_read.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_datastore_read.c
@@ -731,11 +731,13 @@ xmldb_get_cache(clixon_handle     h,
         clicon_db_elmnt_set(h, db, &de0); /* Content is copied */
         /* Add default global values (to make xpath below include defaults) */
         // Alt:  xmldb_populate(h, db)
-        if (xml_global_defaults(h, x0t, nsc, xpath, yspec, 0) < 0)
-            goto done;
-        /* Add default recursive values */
-        if (xml_default_recurse(x0t, 0, 0) < 0)
-            goto done;
+        if (yb != YB_NONE) {
+            if (xml_global_defaults(h, x0t, nsc, xpath, yspec, 0) < 0)
+                goto done;
+            /* Add default recursive values */
+            if (xml_default_recurse(x0t, 0, 0) < 0)
+                goto done;
+        }
     } /* x0t == NULL */
     else
         x0t = de->de_xml;