Index: src/Deltares.DSoilModel.Forms/DSoilModelPlugin.cs
===================================================================
diff -u -r385 -r391
--- src/Deltares.DSoilModel.Forms/DSoilModelPlugin.cs	(.../DSoilModelPlugin.cs)	(revision 385)
+++ src/Deltares.DSoilModel.Forms/DSoilModelPlugin.cs	(.../DSoilModelPlugin.cs)	(revision 391)
@@ -446,6 +446,27 @@
 
         private void DataEventPublisherOnDataListModified(object sender, PublishEventArgs publishEventArgs)
         {
+
+            if (sender is List<Soil>)
+            {
+                var args = publishEventArgs as DataListModifiedArgs;
+                if (args != null && (args.Action == ListModifyAction.Add || args.Action == ListModifyAction.Insert) && publishEventArgs.Objects.Length > 0)
+                {
+                    // handle the case where a new soil is added to the materials table
+                    foreach (var item in publishEventArgs.Objects)
+                    {
+                        var soil = item as Soil;
+                        if (soil != null)
+                        {
+                            if (soil.GetOrdinaryParameters().Count == 0 && soil.GetStochasticParameters().Count == 0)
+                            {
+                                project.SetSoilDefaults(soil);    
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
             if (sender is List<SurfaceLine2>)
             {
                 mainForm.DynamicTableControl.GetTable(typeof(SurfaceLine2)).Refresh();
Index: src/Deltares.DSoilModel.Data/DSoilModelProject.cs
===================================================================
diff -u -r362 -r391
--- src/Deltares.DSoilModel.Data/DSoilModelProject.cs	(.../DSoilModelProject.cs)	(revision 362)
+++ src/Deltares.DSoilModel.Data/DSoilModelProject.cs	(.../DSoilModelProject.cs)	(revision 391)
@@ -415,12 +415,14 @@
                         }
                     });
             }
-            // missing soils may have been added ?
+            // missing soils may have been added as new soil() ?
             if (Soils.Soils.Count > soilsCount)
             {
-                DataEventPublisher.DataListModified(Soils.Soils);
+                for (int i = soilsCount; i < Soils.Soils.Count; i++)
+                {
+                    SetSoilDefaults(Soils.Soils[i]);
+                }
             }
-            
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -688,6 +690,8 @@
                 {
                     var isNewSoil = true;
 
+                    SetSoilDefaults(newSoil);
+
                     foreach (var soilAlreadyKnown in soils.Soils)
                     {
                         if (soilAlreadyKnown.Name.Equals(newSoil.Name, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase))
@@ -932,31 +936,6 @@
 
         private void DataEventPublisher_OnDataListModified(object sender, PublishEventArgs e)
         {
-            if (sender is List<Soil>)
-            {
-                var args = e as DataListModifiedArgs;
-                if (args != null && (args.Action == ListModifyAction.Add || args.Action == ListModifyAction.Insert) && e.Objects.Length > 0)
-                {
-                    // check the added soil(s)
-                    foreach (var item in e.Objects)
-                    {
-                        var soil = item as Soil;
-                        if (soil != null)
-                        {
-                            CheckSoilDefaults(soil);
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    // check all soils (event may be the result of an import action with missing soils) 
-                    foreach (var soil in Soils.Soils)
-                    {
-                        CheckSoilDefaults(soil);
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-
             if (sender == SoilSegments)
             {
                 FilterSegments();
@@ -981,17 +960,34 @@
                 }
             }
         }
-        private void CheckSoilDefaults(Soil soil)
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Set the soil defaults.
+        /// See the functional design document for D-SoilModel, some stochasts have a specific distribution type
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="soil">The soil.</param>
+        public void SetSoilDefaults(Soil soil)
         {
-            // see functional design document, some stochasts have a specific distribution type
-            if (soil.GetOrdinaryParameters().Count == 0 && soil.GetStochasticParameters().Count == 0)
+            // only set the defaults if a stochast has not been defined otherwise
+            var definedStochasts = soil.GetStochasticParameters();
+
+            if (!definedStochasts.ContainsValue(soil.AbovePhreaticLevelStochast))
             {
                 soil.AbovePhreaticLevelStochast.DistributionType = DistributionType.LogNormal;
                 soil.AbovePhreaticLevelStochast.Shift = 0;
+            }
+            if (!definedStochasts.ContainsValue(soil.BelowPhreaticLevelStochast))
+            {
                 soil.BelowPhreaticLevelStochast.DistributionType = DistributionType.LogNormal;
                 soil.BelowPhreaticLevelStochast.Shift = 10.0;
+            }
+            if (!definedStochasts.ContainsValue(soil.DiameterD70Stochast))
+            {
                 soil.DiameterD70Stochast.DistributionType = DistributionType.LogNormal;
                 soil.DiameterD70Stochast.Shift = 10;
+            }
+            if (!definedStochasts.ContainsValue(soil.PermeabKxStochast))
+            {
                 soil.PermeabKxStochast.DistributionType = DistributionType.LogNormal;
                 soil.PermeabKxStochast.Shift = 0;
             }
Index: src/Deltares.DSoilModel.Data.Tests/DSoilModelProjectTest.cs
===================================================================
diff -u -r362 -r391
--- src/Deltares.DSoilModel.Data.Tests/DSoilModelProjectTest.cs	(.../DSoilModelProjectTest.cs)	(revision 362)
+++ src/Deltares.DSoilModel.Data.Tests/DSoilModelProjectTest.cs	(.../DSoilModelProjectTest.cs)	(revision 391)
@@ -40,23 +40,14 @@
         }
 
         [Test]
-        public void TestDefaultsForAddedSoils()
+        public void TestSetSoilDefaults()
         {
-            
             var project = new DSoilModelProject();
             var soil = new Soil();
-
-            // the only two defaults that differ from default soil
-            Assert.AreEqual(0, soil.BelowPhreaticLevelStochast.Shift);
-            Assert.AreEqual(0, soil.DiameterD70Stochast.Shift);
-
-            project.Soils.Soils.Add(soil);
-            DataEventPublisher.InvokeAndPublish(() =>
-            {
-                DataEventPublisher.DataListModified(project.Soils.Soils);    
-            });
-
-            // defaults listed in functional design document
+ 
+            project.SetSoilDefaults(soil);
+            
+            // defaults are set
             Assert.AreEqual(DistributionType.LogNormal, soil.AbovePhreaticLevelStochast.DistributionType);
             Assert.AreEqual(0, soil.AbovePhreaticLevelStochast.Shift);
             Assert.AreEqual(DistributionType.LogNormal, soil.BelowPhreaticLevelStochast.DistributionType);
@@ -65,6 +56,21 @@
             Assert.AreEqual(10.0, soil.DiameterD70Stochast.Shift);
             Assert.AreEqual(DistributionType.LogNormal, soil.PermeabKxStochast.DistributionType);
             Assert.AreEqual(0, soil.PermeabKxStochast.Shift);
+
+            // set non-default values
+            soil = new Soil();
+            soil.AbovePhreaticLevelStochast.DistributionType = DistributionType.Deterministic;
+            soil.BelowPhreaticLevelStochast.DistributionType = DistributionType.Deterministic;
+            soil.DiameterD70Stochast.DistributionType = DistributionType.Deterministic;
+            soil.PermeabKxStochast.DistributionType = DistributionType.Deterministic;
+
+            project.SetSoilDefaults(soil);
+
+            // nondefault values are NOT overwritten
+            Assert.AreEqual(DistributionType.Deterministic, soil.AbovePhreaticLevelStochast.DistributionType);
+            Assert.AreEqual(DistributionType.Deterministic, soil.BelowPhreaticLevelStochast.DistributionType);
+            Assert.AreEqual(DistributionType.Deterministic, soil.DiameterD70Stochast.DistributionType);
+            Assert.AreEqual(DistributionType.Deterministic, soil.PermeabKxStochast.DistributionType);
         }
 
         [Test]