diff --git a/src/travertino/declaration.py b/src/travertino/declaration.py
index 91791af..9599ea6 100644
--- a/src/travertino/declaration.py
+++ b/src/travertino/declaration.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def __set__(self, obj, value):
 
         value = self.validate(value)
 
-        if value != getattr(obj, f"_{self.name}", None):
+        if value != getattr(obj, f"_{self.name}", self.initial):
             setattr(obj, f"_{self.name}", value)
             obj.apply(self.name, value)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_declaration.py b/tests/test_declaration.py
index 753362a..c2f1414 100644
--- a/tests/test_declaration.py
+++ b/tests/test_declaration.py
@@ -317,6 +317,17 @@ def test_property_with_implicit_default(StyleClass):
     style.apply.assert_called_once_with("implicit", None)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("StyleClass", [Style, DeprecatedStyle])
+def test_set_initial_no_apply(StyleClass):
+    """If a property hasn't been set, assigning it its initial value shouldn't apply."""
+    style = StyleClass()
+
+    # 0 is the initial value
+    style.explicit_value = 0
+
+    style.apply.assert_not_called()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("StyleClass", [Style, DeprecatedStyle])
 def test_directional_property(StyleClass):
     style = StyleClass()