diff --git a/inflection/CMakeLists.txt b/inflection/CMakeLists.txt
index 7a045b7f..e6e14c0e 100644
--- a/inflection/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/inflection/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -88,9 +88,7 @@ file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${INFLECTION_INCLUDE_ROOT})
 
 include(dependICU)
 
-add_library(xml2 INTERFACE IMPORTED GLOBAL)
-set_target_properties(xml2 PROPERTIES IMPORTED_LIBNAME xml2)
-target_include_directories(xml2 INTERFACE ${CMAKE_OSX_SYSROOT}/usr/include/libxml2)
+find_package(LibXml2 REQUIRED)
 
 # Runs Unicode Inflection unit tests: "make check"
 set(DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH ${ICU_LIB_DIRECTORY}:$<TARGET_FILE_DIR:inflection>)
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DictionaryLookupFunction.cpp b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DictionaryLookupFunction.cpp
index 249a374c..e504edd5 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DictionaryLookupFunction.cpp
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DictionaryLookupFunction.cpp
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
  */
 #include <inflection/npc.hpp>
 #include <inflection/dialog/DictionaryLookupFunction.hpp>
-
 #include <inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.hpp>
 #include <inflection/dialog/SpeakableString.hpp>
 #include <inflection/dictionary/DictionaryMetaData.hpp>
@@ -11,7 +10,6 @@
 #include "inflection/tokenizer/TokenChain.hpp"
 #include "inflection/tokenizer/Token_Word.hpp"
 #include "inflection/tokenizer/TokenizerFactory.hpp"
-
 namespace inflection::dialog {
 
 DictionaryLookupFunction::DictionaryLookupFunction(const ::inflection::util::ULocale& locale, const ::std::vector<::std::u16string>& tags)
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.cpp b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.cpp
index 902a3999..1fc8e260 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.cpp
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@
 namespace inflection::dialog {
 
 
-DisplayValue::DisplayValue(const ::std::u16string& displayString, const ::std::map<SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string>& constraintMap)
+DisplayValue::DisplayValue(
+    const ::std::u16string& displayString,
+    const ::std::map<SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string>& constraintMap
+)
     : super()
     , displayString(displayString)
     , constraintMap(constraintMap)
@@ -21,11 +24,23 @@ DisplayValue::DisplayValue(const ::std::u16string& value)
 {
 }
 
-DisplayValue::DisplayValue(const SpeakableString& value, const SemanticFeature& speakFeature)
-    : DisplayValue(value.getPrint(), {})
+DisplayValue::DisplayValue(
+    const SpeakableString& value,
+    const SemanticFeature& speakFeature
+)
+    : DisplayValue(value, speakFeature, {})
+{
+}
+
+DisplayValue::DisplayValue(
+    const SpeakableString& value,
+    const SemanticFeature& speakFeature, 
+    const ::std::map<SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string>& constraintMap
+)
+    : DisplayValue(value.getPrint(), constraintMap)
 {
     if (!value.speakEqualsPrint()) {
-        constraintMap.emplace(speakFeature, value.getSpeak());
+        this->constraintMap.emplace(speakFeature, value.getSpeak());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.hpp b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.hpp
index 861cbf17..ec802cd3 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.hpp
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.hpp
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ class INFLECTION_CLASS_API inflection::dialog::DisplayValue
      * @param speakFeature The speakFeature from the SemanticFeatureModel that represents the SemanticFeature for the speak information for a SpeakableString.
      */
     DisplayValue(const SpeakableString& value, const SemanticFeature& speakFeature);
+    /**
+     * Construct a display value with a SpeakableString.
+     * @param value A SpeakableString
+     * @param speakFeature The speakFeature from the SemanticFeatureModel that represents the SemanticFeature for the speak information for a SpeakableString.
+     * @param constraintMap The intitial constraint map.
+     */
+    DisplayValue(const SpeakableString& value, const SemanticFeature& speakFeature, const ::std::map<SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string>& constraintMap);
     /**
      * The destructor
      */
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept-c.cpp b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept-c.cpp
index 43323716..948ceb85 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept-c.cpp
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept-c.cpp
@@ -2,14 +2,18 @@
  * Copyright 2021-2024 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.
  */
 #include <inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.h>
-
+#include <inflection/npc.hpp>
 #include <inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.hpp>
 #include <inflection/dialog/SemanticFeatureConcept.h>
 #include <inflection/exception/ClassCastException.hpp>
 #include <inflection/util/ULocale.hpp>
+#include <inflection/dialog/SemanticFeature.hpp>
+#include <inflection/dialog/SemanticUtils.hpp>
+#include <inflection/dialog/SemanticFeatureModel.hpp>
 #include <inflection/util/TypeConversionUtils.hpp>
 #include <inflection/util/Validate.hpp>
 
+
 INFLECTION_CAPI IDSemanticFeatureConcept* iinf_toSemanticFeatureConcept(IDInflectableStringConcept* thisObject, UErrorCode*)
 {
     return (IDSemanticFeatureConcept*)thisObject;
@@ -47,6 +51,27 @@ iinf_create(const IDSemanticFeatureModel* model, const IDSpeakableString* value,
     return nullptr;
 }
 
+INFLECTION_CAPI IDInflectableStringConcept*
+iinf_createWithDefaults(const IDSemanticFeatureModel* model, const IDSpeakableString* value, 
+                        const IDDisplayValue_Constraint* defaultConstraints, int32_t defaultConstraintsLen, UErrorCode* status) 
+{
+    if (status != nullptr && U_SUCCESS(*status)) {
+        try {
+            auto defaultConstraintsMap(inflection::dialog::SemanticUtils::to_constraintMap(*npc((const inflection::dialog::SemanticFeatureModel*)model), defaultConstraints, defaultConstraintsLen));
+
+            return (IDInflectableStringConcept*) new ::inflection::dialog::InflectableStringConcept(
+                (const ::inflection::dialog::SemanticFeatureModel*)model,
+                *((const ::inflection::dialog::SpeakableString*)value),
+                defaultConstraintsMap
+            );
+        }
+        catch (const ::std::exception& e) {
+            inflection::util::TypeConversionUtils::convert(e, status);
+        }
+    }
+    return nullptr;
+}
+
 INFLECTION_CAPI void
 iinf_destroy(IDInflectableStringConcept* thisObject)
 {
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.cpp b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.cpp
index 7aecd088..d8efdaa8 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.cpp
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.cpp
@@ -15,10 +15,23 @@
 
 namespace inflection::dialog {
 
-InflectableStringConcept::InflectableStringConcept(const SemanticFeatureModel* model, const SpeakableString& value)
+
+InflectableStringConcept::InflectableStringConcept(
+    const SemanticFeatureModel* model,
+    const SpeakableString& value
+)
+    : InflectableStringConcept(model, value, {})
+{
+}
+
+InflectableStringConcept::InflectableStringConcept(
+    const SemanticFeatureModel* model,
+    const SpeakableString& value,
+    const ::std::map<SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string>& intitialConstraints
+)   
     : super(model)
     , value(value)
-    , defaultDisplayValue(value, *npc(super::getSpeakFeature()))
+    , defaultDisplayValue(value, *npc(super::getSpeakFeature()), intitialConstraints)
 {
 }
 
@@ -39,11 +52,40 @@ SpeakableString* InflectableStringConcept::getFeatureValue(const SemanticFeature
     if (constraint != nullptr) {
         return new SpeakableString(*npc(constraint));
     }
+    const auto displayValueResult = getDisplayValue(true);
+    if (displayValueResult) {
+        const auto defaultFeatureFunction = npc(getModel())->getDefaultFeatureFunction(feature);
+        ::std::unique_ptr<SpeakableString> computedValue;
+        ::std::unique_ptr<SpeakableString> baseValue;
+        if (defaultFeatureFunction != nullptr) {
+            computedValue.reset(npc(defaultFeatureFunction)->getFeatureValue(*displayValueResult, constraints));
+            baseValue.reset(npc(defaultFeatureFunction)->getFeatureValue(defaultDisplayValue, constraints));
+        }
+        const auto& displayConstraintMap = displayValueResult->getConstraintMap();
+        auto displayConstraint = displayConstraintMap.find(feature);
+        if (displayConstraint != displayConstraintMap.end()) {
+            auto numberFeature = npc(getModel())->getFeature(u"number");
+            if (feature.getName() == u"gender" && baseValue && numberFeature != nullptr && displayConstraintMap.find(*npc(numberFeature)) != displayConstraintMap.end()) {
+                return baseValue.release();
+            }
+            return new SpeakableString(displayConstraint->second);
+        }
+        if (computedValue) {
+            return computedValue.release();
+        }
+        if (baseValue) {
+            return baseValue.release();
+        }
+    }
+    const auto& initialConstraintMap = defaultDisplayValue.getConstraintMap();
+    auto initialConstraint = initialConstraintMap.find(feature);
+    if (initialConstraint != initialConstraintMap.end()) {
+        return new SpeakableString(initialConstraint->second);
+    }
     auto defaultFeatureFunction = npc(getModel())->getDefaultFeatureFunction(feature);
     if (defaultFeatureFunction != nullptr) {
-        const auto displayValueResult = getDisplayValue(true);
-        if (displayValueResult) {
-            return npc(defaultFeatureFunction)->getFeatureValue(*displayValueResult, constraints);
+        if (auto fallbackValue = ::std::unique_ptr<SpeakableString>(npc(defaultFeatureFunction)->getFeatureValue(defaultDisplayValue, constraints))) {
+            return fallbackValue.release();
         }
     }
     return nullptr;
@@ -63,11 +105,7 @@ ::std::optional<DisplayValue> InflectableStringConcept::getDisplayValue(bool all
 {
     auto defaultDisplayFunction = npc(getModel())->getDefaultDisplayFunction();
     if (defaultDisplayFunction != nullptr && !constraints.empty()) {
-        ::std::map<SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string> constraintMap;
-        if (!value.speakEqualsPrint()) {
-            constraintMap.emplace(*npc(getSpeakFeature()), value.getSpeak());
-        }
-        SemanticFeatureModel_DisplayData displayData({DisplayValue(value.getPrint(), constraintMap)});
+        SemanticFeatureModel_DisplayData displayData({defaultDisplayValue});
         ::std::unique_ptr<DisplayValue> returnVal(npc(defaultDisplayFunction)->getDisplayValue(displayData, constraints, allowInflectionGuess));
         if (returnVal != nullptr) {
             return *returnVal;
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.h b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.h
index 862818b5..8c5538ef 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.h
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include <inflection/dialog/SpeakableString.h>
 #include <inflection/dialog/SemanticFeatureConcept.h>
 #include <inflection/dialog/SemanticFeatureModel.h>
-
+#include <inflection/dialog/DisplayValue.h>
 /**
  * An object that provides a way to format a word with additional grammatical category values or semantic features of a word for a given language.
  */
@@ -34,6 +34,19 @@ INFLECTION_CAPI IDInflectableStringConcept* iinf_toInflectableStringConcept(IDSe
  *        This is set to a failure when a failure has occurred during execution.
  */
 INFLECTION_CAPI IDInflectableStringConcept* iinf_create(const IDSemanticFeatureModel* model, const IDSpeakableString* value, UErrorCode* status);
+/**
+ * Constructs a concept given a semantic feature model and a speakable string
+ *
+ * @param model - The semantic feature model required to initialize the concept.
+ * @param value - The speakable string to convert to a concept
+ * @param defaultConstraints - The initial defaultConstraints to apply to the concept
+ * @param defaultConstraintsLen - The number of semantic features and values provided
+ * @param status Must be a valid pointer to an error code value,
+ *        which must not indicate a failure before the function call.
+ *        This is set to a failure when a failure has occurred during execution.
+ */
+INFLECTION_CAPI IDInflectableStringConcept* iinf_createWithDefaults(const IDSemanticFeatureModel* model, const IDSpeakableString* value, 
+                                                                        const IDDisplayValue_Constraint* defaultConstraints, int32_t defaultConstraintsLen, UErrorCode* status);
 /**
  * Destructor
  */
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.hpp b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.hpp
index 617b7f63..c21610d4 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.hpp
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.hpp
@@ -69,6 +69,15 @@ class INFLECTION_CLASS_API inflection::dialog::InflectableStringConcept
      * @param value - The speakable string to convert to a concept
      */
     InflectableStringConcept(const SemanticFeatureModel* model, const SpeakableString& value);
+
+    /**
+     * Constructs a concept given a semantic feature model and a speakable string
+     *
+     * @param model - The semantic feature model required to initialize the concept.
+     * @param value - The speakable string to convert to a concept
+     * @param intitialConstraints - The intitial constraints for the map.
+     */
+    InflectableStringConcept(const SemanticFeatureModel* model, const SpeakableString& value, const std::map<SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string>& intitialConstraints);
     /**
      * Copy constructor
      */
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/FrGrammarSynthesizer_CountLookupFunction.cpp b/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/FrGrammarSynthesizer_CountLookupFunction.cpp
index 3029dff2..9d463aa3 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/FrGrammarSynthesizer_CountLookupFunction.cpp
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/FrGrammarSynthesizer_CountLookupFunction.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ ::std::optional<::std::u16string> FrGrammarSynthesizer_CountLookupFunction::dete
     int64_t wordGrammemes = 0;
     dictionary.getCombinedBinaryType(&wordGrammemes, word);
     if ((wordGrammemes & properNounProperty) == properNounProperty) {
-        return {{}};
+        return std::u16string{};
     }
     if (checkInvariantNouns(word, wordGrammemes)) {
         return GrammemeConstants::NUMBER_SINGULAR();
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/HiGrammarSynthesizer_HiDisplayFunction.cpp b/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/HiGrammarSynthesizer_HiDisplayFunction.cpp
index ae32c6a9..938110df 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/HiGrammarSynthesizer_HiDisplayFunction.cpp
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/HiGrammarSynthesizer_HiDisplayFunction.cpp
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ ::std::optional<::std::u16string> HiGrammarSynthesizer_HiDisplayFunction::inflec
 
 ::std::optional<::std::vector<::std::u16string>> HiGrammarSynthesizer_HiDisplayFunction::inflectSignificantWords(const std::vector<::std::u16string> &words, const ::std::map<SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string> &constraints, bool enableInflectionGuess) const {
     if (words.empty()) {
-        return {{}};
+        return std::vector<std::u16string>{};
     }
     const auto &dictionary = dictionaryInflector.getDictionary();
     int64_t adpositionIndex = -1;
diff --git a/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/PtGrammarSynthesizer_PtDisplayFunction.cpp b/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/PtGrammarSynthesizer_PtDisplayFunction.cpp
index 76550d1a..cd4b8376 100644
--- a/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/PtGrammarSynthesizer_PtDisplayFunction.cpp
+++ b/inflection/src/inflection/grammar/synthesis/PtGrammarSynthesizer_PtDisplayFunction.cpp
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ ::std::optional<::std::vector<::std::u16string>> PtGrammarSynthesizer_PtDisplayF
 
 ::std::optional<::std::vector<::std::u16string>> PtGrammarSynthesizer_PtDisplayFunction::inflectSignificantWords(const std::vector<::std::u16string> &words, const ::std::map<::inflection::dialog::SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string> &constraints, bool enableInflectionGuess) const {
     switch (words.size()) {
-        case 0: return {{}};
+        case 0: return std::vector<std::u16string>{};
         case 1: {
             int64_t wordType = 0;
             dictionary.getCombinedBinaryType(&wordType, words[0]);
diff --git a/inflection/test/CMakeLists.txt b/inflection/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 8ffdba40..aa92d315 100644
--- a/inflection/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/inflection/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ target_link_libraries(itest
         PRIVATE
             inflection
             Catch2
-            xml2
+            LibXml2::LibXml2
             marisa_objs
             ICU::uc ICU::i18n
             $<$<PLATFORM_ID:Darwin>:${PERFDATA_FRAMEWORK}>
diff --git a/inflection/test/resources/inflection/dialog/inflection/es.xml b/inflection/test/resources/inflection/dialog/inflection/es.xml
index 46d99fea..568cca0e 100644
--- a/inflection/test/resources/inflection/dialog/inflection/es.xml
+++ b/inflection/test/resources/inflection/dialog/inflection/es.xml
@@ -221,4 +221,11 @@
     <test><source definiteness="definite">álgebra añeja</source><result>el álgebra añeja</result></test> <!-- An exception to the gender rule. -->
     <test><source definiteness="definite">añeja álgebra</source><result>la añeja álgebra</result></test>
     <test><source>área</source><result withDemAdj="esta área"/></test>
+
+    <!-- New Tests for stating grammemes -->
+    <test><source definiteness="definite">cometa</source><initial gender="masculine"/><result number="singular" gender="masculine">el cometa</result></test>
+    <test><source definiteness="definite">cometa</source><initial gender="feminine"/><result number="singular" gender="feminine">la cometa</result></test>
+    <test><source definiteness="definite">QQQQ</source><initial gender="masculine" number="plural"/><result number="plural" gender="masculine">los QQQQ</result></test>
+    <test><source definiteness="definite">QQQQ</source><initial gender="feminine" number="plural"/><result number="plural" gender="masculine">las QQQQ</result></test>
+
 </inflectionTest>
diff --git a/inflection/test/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConceptTest-c.cpp b/inflection/test/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConceptTest-c.cpp
index 291f27e7..999407dd 100644
--- a/inflection/test/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConceptTest-c.cpp
+++ b/inflection/test/src/inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConceptTest-c.cpp
@@ -155,6 +155,73 @@ TEST_CASE("InflectableStringConceptTest-c#testExistsAPISpanish")
     iinf_destroy(inflectableConcept);
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("InflectableStringConceptTest-c#testCreateWithDefaults")
+{
+    auto error = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+    auto ccfp = ilccfp_getDefaultCommonConceptFactoryProvider(&error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+
+    const auto locale = ::inflection::util::LocaleUtils::SPANISH().getName().c_str();
+    auto ccf = ilccfp_getCommonConceptFactory(ccfp, locale, &error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+
+    auto model = iccf_getSemanticFeatureModel(ccf, &error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+
+    const std::u16string source = u"cometa";
+    auto sourceString = iss_create(source.c_str(), static_cast<int32_t>(source.size()), &error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+
+    IDDisplayValue_Constraint defaultConstraints[] = {
+        {u"gender", u"masculine"},
+    };
+
+    auto inflectableConcept = iinf_createWithDefaults(model,
+                                                      sourceString,
+                                                      defaultConstraints,
+                                                      static_cast<int32_t>(sizeof(defaultConstraints) / sizeof(defaultConstraints[0])),
+                                                      &error);
+    iss_destroy(sourceString);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+    REQUIRE(inflectableConcept != nullptr);
+
+    auto semanticConcept = iinf_toSemanticFeatureConcept(inflectableConcept, &error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+
+    isfc_putConstraintByName(semanticConcept, u"definiteness", u"definite", -1, &error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+
+    auto printedValue = isfc_toSpeakableStringCopy(semanticConcept, &error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+    util::StringContainer<IDSpeakableString, iss_getPrint> printedContainer(printedValue);
+    REQUIRE(printedContainer);
+    CHECK(printedContainer.value == u"el cometa");
+    iss_destroy(printedValue);
+
+    auto genderValue = isfc_createFeatureValueByNameCopy(semanticConcept, u"gender", &error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+    util::StringContainer<IDSpeakableString, iss_getPrint> genderContainer(genderValue);
+    REQUIRE(genderContainer);
+    CHECK(genderContainer.value == u"masculine");
+    iss_destroy(genderValue);
+
+    auto numberValue = isfc_createFeatureValueByNameCopy(semanticConcept, u"number", &error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+    util::StringContainer<IDSpeakableString, iss_getPrint> numberContainer(numberValue);
+    REQUIRE(numberContainer);
+    CHECK(numberContainer.value == u"singular");
+    iss_destroy(numberValue);
+
+    auto definitenessValue = isfc_createFeatureValueByNameCopy(semanticConcept, u"definiteness", &error);
+    REQUIRE(U_SUCCESS(error));
+    util::StringContainer<IDSpeakableString, iss_getPrint> definitenessContainer(definitenessValue);
+    REQUIRE(definitenessContainer);
+    CHECK(definitenessContainer.value == u"definite");
+    iss_destroy(definitenessValue);
+
+    iinf_destroy(inflectableConcept);
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("InflectableStringConceptTest-c#testSpanish")
 {
     auto error = U_ZERO_ERROR;
diff --git a/inflection/test/src/inflection/dialog/InflectionTest.cpp b/inflection/test/src/inflection/dialog/InflectionTest.cpp
index d6db7e8b..81444110 100644
--- a/inflection/test/src/inflection/dialog/InflectionTest.cpp
+++ b/inflection/test/src/inflection/dialog/InflectionTest.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include <inflection/dialog/InflectableStringConcept.hpp>
 #include <inflection/dialog/SemanticFeatureModel.hpp>
+#include <inflection/dialog/SemanticFeature.hpp>
 #include <inflection/dialog/SpeakableString.hpp>
 #include <inflection/dialog/LocalizedCommonConceptFactoryProvider.hpp>
 #include <inflection/exception/XMLParseException.hpp>
@@ -35,9 +36,26 @@ static std::string getInfoStringForTestInput(const ::inflection::dialog::Semanti
     return "locale=" + model.getLocale().getName() + (source.isEmpty() ? "" : std::string(" source=") + inflection::util::StringUtils::to_string(source.toString())) + " {" + constraintsStr + "}";
 }
 
-static void compareInflection(const ::inflection::dialog::SemanticFeatureModel& model, const ::inflection::dialog::SpeakableString& expected, const ::inflection::dialog::SpeakableString& source, const std::map<std::u16string, std::u16string>& constraints, const std::map<std::u16string, std::u16string>& resultAttributes)
+static void compareInflection(const ::inflection::dialog::SemanticFeatureModel& model,
+                              const ::inflection::dialog::SpeakableString& expected,
+                              const ::inflection::dialog::SpeakableString& source,
+                              const std::map<std::u16string, std::u16string>& constraints,
+                              const std::map<std::u16string, std::u16string>& resultAttributes,
+                              const std::map<std::u16string, std::u16string>& initialAttributes)
 {
-    inflection::dialog::InflectableStringConcept inflectableConcept(&model, source);
+    std::map<inflection::dialog::SemanticFeature, ::std::u16string> intitialConstraints;
+    for(const auto& [attrKey, attrVal] : initialAttributes) {
+        auto featureName = model.getFeature(attrKey);
+        if (featureName == nullptr) {
+            FAIL_CHECK(model.getLocale().getName() + std::string(": feature name is not recognized: ") + inflection::util::StringUtils::to_string(attrKey));
+        }
+        const auto& boundedValues(npc(featureName)->getBoundedValues());
+        if (!boundedValues.empty() && boundedValues.find(attrVal) == boundedValues.end()) {
+            FAIL_CHECK(model.getLocale().getName() + std::string(": feature value \"") + inflection::util::StringUtils::to_string(attrVal) + "\" is not valid for feature \"" + inflection::util::StringUtils::to_string(attrKey) + "\"");
+        }
+        intitialConstraints[*featureName] = attrVal;
+    }
+    inflection::dialog::InflectableStringConcept inflectableConcept(&model, source, intitialConstraints);
     for (const auto& constraint : constraints) {
         auto featureName = model.getFeature(constraint.first);
         if (featureName == nullptr) {
@@ -171,16 +189,26 @@ TEST_CASE("InflectionTest#testInflections")
             if (xmlStrEqual(sourceNode->name, (const xmlChar *) "source") == 0) {
                 throw ::inflection::exception::XMLParseException(u"Expecting element <source>, got <" + ::inflection::util::StringUtils::to_u16string(std::string(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(sourceNode->name))) + u">");
             }
-            xmlNodePtr resultNode = xmlNextElementSibling(sourceNode);
-            if (xmlStrEqual(resultNode->name, (const xmlChar *) "result") == 0) {
-                throw ::inflection::exception::XMLParseException(u"Expecting element <result>, got <" + ::inflection::util::StringUtils::to_u16string(std::string(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(resultNode->name))) + u">");
+
+            // optional initial child tag
+            curTestChild = xmlNextElementSibling(sourceNode);
+            xmlNodePtr initialNode = nullptr;
+            if(xmlStrEqual(curTestChild->name, (const xmlChar*) "initial") != 0) {
+                initialNode = curTestChild;
+                curTestChild = xmlNextElementSibling(curTestChild);
+            }
+
+            if (xmlStrEqual(curTestChild->name, (const xmlChar *) "result") == 0) {
+                throw ::inflection::exception::XMLParseException(u"Expecting element <result>, got <" + ::inflection::util::StringUtils::to_u16string(std::string(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(curTestChild->name))) + u">");
             }
+            xmlNodePtr resultNode = curTestChild;
             auto sourceConstraints(XMLUtils::getAttributes(sourceNode));
             auto resultAttributes(XMLUtils::getAttributes(resultNode));
+            auto initialAttributes(XMLUtils::getAttributes(initialNode));
             auto sourceString(getSpeakableString(sourceNode));
             auto resultString(getSpeakableString(resultNode));
 
-            compareInflection(*npc(model), resultString, sourceString, sourceConstraints, resultAttributes);
+            compareInflection(*npc(model), resultString, sourceString, sourceConstraints, resultAttributes, initialAttributes);
             numTests++;
         }
         xmlFreeDoc(xmlDoc);
diff --git a/inflection/test/src/util/XMLUtils.cpp b/inflection/test/src/util/XMLUtils.cpp
index 1a6d79cb..bbe4e201 100644
--- a/inflection/test/src/util/XMLUtils.cpp
+++ b/inflection/test/src/util/XMLUtils.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <inflection/npc.hpp>
 
 std::map<std::u16string, std::u16string> XMLUtils::getAttributes(xmlNodePtr node) {
+    if(node == nullptr) return { }; 
     xmlAttr* attribute = node->properties;
     std::map<std::u16string, std::u16string> result;
     while (attribute) {
diff --git a/inflection/tools/CMakeLists.txt b/inflection/tools/CMakeLists.txt
index 47f8f34c..764b990e 100644
--- a/inflection/tools/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/inflection/tools/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ endif()
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_${BUILD_TYPE} ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE})
 target_link_libraries(tool_libraries
         INTERFACE
-            xml2
+            LibXml2::LibXml2
             ICU::uc ICU::i18n
             $<$<PLATFORM_ID:Linux>:${CMAKE_DL_LIBS}>
 )
diff --git a/inflection/tools/xml2cpp/CMakeLists.txt b/inflection/tools/xml2cpp/CMakeLists.txt
index 869136f1..06b1bf5d 100644
--- a/inflection/tools/xml2cpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/inflection/tools/xml2cpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 #
 file(GLOB_RECURSE XML2CPP_SOURCES CONFIGURE_DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/*.cpp)
 add_executable(xml2cpp ${XML2CPP_SOURCES})
-target_link_libraries(xml2cpp xml2)
+target_link_libraries(xml2cpp LibXml2::LibXml2)
 add_dependencies(tools xml2cpp)
\ No newline at end of file