diff --git a/lisp/frame.el b/lisp/frame.el
index 4d4a226d218..554eebaf7fa 100644
--- a/lisp/frame.el
+++ b/lisp/frame.el
@@ -130,6 +130,16 @@ These supersede the values given in `default-frame-alist'.")
 	    (progn
 	      (setq frame-initial-frame-alist
 		    (append initial-frame-alist default-frame-alist))
+	      ;; Record these with their default values
+	      ;; if they don't have any values explicitly.
+	      (or (assq 'vertical-scroll-bars frame-initial-frame-alist)
+		  (setq frame-initial-frame-alist
+			(cons '(vertical-scroll-bars . t)
+			      frame-initial-frame-alist)))
+	      (or (assq 'horizontal-scroll-bars frame-initial-frame-alist)
+		  (setq frame-initial-frame-alist
+			(cons '(horizontal-scroll-bars . t)
+			      frame-initial-frame-alist)))
 	      (setq default-minibuffer-frame
 		    (setq frame-initial-frame
 			  (make-frame initial-frame-alist)))