diff --git a/tdkpin-rs/highscore-server/README.md b/tdkpin-rs/highscore-server/README.md
index b4a1ca6..0737e34 100644
--- a/tdkpin-rs/highscore-server/README.md
+++ b/tdkpin-rs/highscore-server/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ POST /api/highscores
 The POST body is JSON with a 21-character maximum name and a `u32` score. The
 response is the canonical top-ten JSON array.
 
+A newly created database starts with the original distributed demo table. An
+existing database, including an existing empty database, is left unchanged.
+
 Submissions are anonymous and intentionally trust the browser's score. Add
 rate limiting, moderation, or server-side run verification if the table needs
 to resist forged scores.
diff --git a/tdkpin-rs/highscore-server/src/lib.rs b/tdkpin-rs/highscore-server/src/lib.rs
index 9338861..7cc3248 100644
--- a/tdkpin-rs/highscore-server/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tdkpin-rs/highscore-server/src/lib.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,18 @@ const MAX_HIGH_SCORES: usize = 10;
 const MAX_NAME_CHARS: usize = 21;
 const MAX_SUBMISSION_BODY_BYTES: usize = 1024;
 const MAX_CONCURRENT_DATABASE_OPERATIONS: usize = 1;
+const DEFAULT_HIGH_SCORES: &[(&str, u32)] = &[
+    ("Paul", 6_537_392),
+    ("Paul Schulze", 2_979_000),
+    ("Kalle", 2_393_464),
+    ("Paul Schulze", 2_328_000),
+    ("Martina Sommer", 2_326_000),
+    ("Martina Sommer", 1_093_000),
+    ("Sommer Martina", 1_027_000),
+    ("No Name", 1_000_000),
+    ("TDK Pinball Player", 923_000),
+    ("Martina Sommer", 905_000),
+];
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct HighScore {
@@ -49,7 +61,9 @@ impl HighScoreStore {
     /// Returns the SQLite error raised while opening or initializing the
     /// database.
     pub fn open(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<Self, rusqlite::Error> {
-        Self::from_connection(Connection::open(path)?)
+        let path = path.as_ref();
+        let seed_defaults = !path.exists();
+        Self::from_connection(Connection::open(path)?, seed_defaults)
     }
 
     /// Create an in-memory high-score store for tests or short-lived runs.
@@ -58,10 +72,13 @@ impl HighScoreStore {
     ///
     /// Returns the SQLite error raised while initializing the database.
     pub fn open_in_memory() -> Result<Self, rusqlite::Error> {
-        Self::from_connection(Connection::open_in_memory()?)
+        Self::from_connection(Connection::open_in_memory()?, false)
     }
 
-    fn from_connection(connection: Connection) -> Result<Self, rusqlite::Error> {
+    fn from_connection(
+        mut connection: Connection,
+        seed_defaults: bool,
+    ) -> Result<Self, rusqlite::Error> {
         connection.execute_batch(
             "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS high_scores (
                  id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
@@ -71,6 +88,16 @@ impl HighScoreStore {
              CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS high_scores_order
                  ON high_scores (score DESC, id ASC);",
         )?;
+        if seed_defaults {
+            let transaction = connection.transaction()?;
+            for &(name, score) in DEFAULT_HIGH_SCORES {
+                transaction.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO high_scores (name, score) VALUES (?1, ?2)",
+                    params![name, i64::from(score)],
+                )?;
+            }
+            transaction.commit()?;
+        }
         Ok(Self(Arc::new(Mutex::new(connection))))
     }
 
@@ -359,6 +386,7 @@ mod tests {
     async fn api_persists_and_keeps_the_top_ten() {
         let directory = tempdir().expect("temporary directory should exist");
         let database = directory.path().join("highscores.sqlite3");
+        std::fs::File::create(&database).expect("database file should exist");
         let store = HighScoreStore::open(&database).expect("database should open");
         let app = router(store);
 
@@ -378,6 +406,34 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(list(&reopened).await, scores);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn new_database_starts_with_the_original_demo_scores() {
+        let directory = tempdir().expect("temporary directory should exist");
+        let database = directory.path().join("highscores.sqlite3");
+        let store = HighScoreStore::open(&database).expect("database should open");
+
+        let scores = store.list().expect("scores should list");
+        let expected = DEFAULT_HIGH_SCORES
+            .iter()
+            .map(|&(name, score)| HighScore {
+                name: name.to_owned(),
+                score,
+            })
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        assert_eq!(scores, expected);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn existing_database_is_not_seeded() {
+        let directory = tempdir().expect("temporary directory should exist");
+        let database = directory.path().join("highscores.sqlite3");
+        std::fs::File::create(&database).expect("database file should exist");
+
+        let store = HighScoreStore::open(&database).expect("database should open");
+
+        assert!(store.list().expect("scores should list").is_empty());
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn api_rejects_invalid_names() {
         let app = router(HighScoreStore::open_in_memory().expect("database should open"));