diff --git a/src/fastcs/attributes.py b/src/fastcs/attributes.py
index 160360db4..a0db6ce32 100644
--- a/src/fastcs/attributes.py
+++ b/src/fastcs/attributes.py
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 
 from .datatypes import ATTRIBUTE_TYPES, AttrCallback, DataType, T
 
+ONCE = float("inf")
+"""Special value to indicate that an attribute should be updated once on start up."""
+
 
 class AttrMode(Enum):
     """Access mode of an ``Attribute``."""
diff --git a/src/fastcs/backend.py b/src/fastcs/backend.py
index cc2bf8c5f..9fefc4519 100644
--- a/src/fastcs/backend.py
+++ b/src/fastcs/backend.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import asyncio
 from collections import defaultdict
-from collections.abc import Callable
+from collections.abc import Callable, Coroutine
 
 from fastcs.cs_methods import Command, Put, Scan
 from fastcs.datatypes import T
 
-from .attributes import AttrHandlerR, AttrHandlerW, AttrR, AttrW
+from .attributes import ONCE, AttrHandlerR, AttrHandlerW, AttrR, AttrW
 from .controller import BaseController, Controller
 from .controller_api import ControllerAPI
 from .exceptions import FastCSException
@@ -40,18 +40,19 @@ def __del__(self):
         self._stop_scan_tasks()
 
     async def serve(self):
+        scans, initials = _get_scan_and_initial_coros(self.controller_api)
+        self._initial_coros += initials
         await self._run_initial_coros()
-        await self._start_scan_tasks()
+        await self._start_scan_tasks(scans)
 
     async def _run_initial_coros(self):
         for coro in self._initial_coros:
             await coro()
 
-    async def _start_scan_tasks(self):
-        self._scan_tasks = {
-            self._loop.create_task(coro())
-            for coro in _get_scan_coros(self.controller_api)
-        }
+    async def _start_scan_tasks(
+        self, coros: list[Callable[[], Coroutine[None, None, None]]]
+    ):
+        self._scan_tasks = {self._loop.create_task(coro()) for coro in coros}
 
     def _stop_scan_tasks(self):
         for task in self._scan_tasks:
@@ -96,15 +97,18 @@ async def callback(value):
     return callback
 
 
-def _get_scan_coros(root_controller_api: ControllerAPI) -> list[Callable]:
+def _get_scan_and_initial_coros(
+    root_controller_api: ControllerAPI,
+) -> tuple[list[Callable], list[Callable]]:
     scan_dict: dict[float, list[Callable]] = defaultdict(list)
+    initial_coros: list[Callable] = []
 
     for controller_api in root_controller_api.walk_api():
         _add_scan_method_tasks(scan_dict, controller_api)
-        _add_attribute_updater_tasks(scan_dict, controller_api)
+        _add_attribute_updater_tasks(scan_dict, initial_coros, controller_api)
 
     scan_coros = _get_periodic_scan_coros(scan_dict)
-    return scan_coros
+    return scan_coros, initial_coros
 
 
 def _add_scan_method_tasks(
@@ -115,13 +119,17 @@ def _add_scan_method_tasks(
 
 
 def _add_attribute_updater_tasks(
-    scan_dict: dict[float, list[Callable]], controller_api: ControllerAPI
+    scan_dict: dict[float, list[Callable]],
+    initial_coros: list[Callable],
+    controller_api: ControllerAPI,
 ):
     for attribute in controller_api.attributes.values():
         match attribute:
             case AttrR(updater=AttrHandlerR(update_period=update_period)) as attribute:
                 callback = _create_updater_callback(attribute)
-                if update_period is not None:
+                if update_period is ONCE:
+                    initial_coros.append(callback)
+                elif update_period is not None:
                     scan_dict[update_period].append(callback)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_backend.py b/tests/test_backend.py
index 2d578c547..55b8624da 100644
--- a/tests/test_backend.py
+++ b/tests/test_backend.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import asyncio
+from dataclasses import dataclass
 
-from fastcs.attributes import AttrRW
+from fastcs.attributes import ONCE, AttrHandlerR, AttrR, AttrRW
 from fastcs.backend import Backend, build_controller_api
 from fastcs.controller import Controller
 from fastcs.cs_methods import Command
@@ -89,3 +90,40 @@ async def test_wrapper():
         await backend.controller_api.command_methods["do_nothing_dynamic"]()
 
     loop.run_until_complete(test_wrapper())
+
+
+def test_update_periods():
+    @dataclass
+    class AttrHandlerTimesCalled(AttrHandlerR):
+        update_period: float | None
+        _times_called = 0
+
+        async def update(self, attr):
+            self._times_called += 1
+            await attr.set(self._times_called)
+
+    class MyController(Controller):
+        update_once = AttrR(Int(), handler=AttrHandlerTimesCalled(update_period=ONCE))
+        update_quickly = AttrR(Int(), handler=AttrHandlerTimesCalled(update_period=0.1))
+        update_never = AttrR(Int(), handler=AttrHandlerTimesCalled(update_period=None))
+
+    controller = MyController()
+    loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+
+    backend = Backend(controller, loop)
+
+    assert controller.update_quickly.get() == 0
+    assert controller.update_once.get() == 0
+    assert controller.update_never.get() == 0
+
+    async def test_wrapper():
+        loop.create_task(backend.serve())
+        await asyncio.sleep(1)
+
+    loop.run_until_complete(test_wrapper())
+    assert controller.update_quickly.get() > 1
+    assert controller.update_once.get() == 1
+    assert controller.update_never.get() == 0
+
+    assert len(backend._scan_tasks) == 1
+    assert len(backend._initial_coros) == 2