diff --git a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/cvstd.inl.hpp b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/cvstd.inl.hpp
index dd9ba31c71..6d4919d995 100644
--- a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/cvstd.inl.hpp
+++ b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/cvstd.inl.hpp
@@ -153,9 +153,7 @@ FileNode::operator std::string() const
 template<> inline
 void operator >> (const FileNode& n, std::string& value)
 {
-    String val;
-    read(n, val, val);
-    value = val;
+    read(n, value, std::string());
 }
 
 template<> inline
diff --git a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/persistence.hpp b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/persistence.hpp
index a5ae22f122..8d48759714 100644
--- a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/persistence.hpp
+++ b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/persistence.hpp
@@ -712,6 +712,7 @@ CV_EXPORTS void read(const FileNode& node, int& value, int default_value);
 CV_EXPORTS void read(const FileNode& node, float& value, float default_value);
 CV_EXPORTS void read(const FileNode& node, double& value, double default_value);
 CV_EXPORTS void read(const FileNode& node, String& value, const String& default_value);
+CV_EXPORTS void read(const FileNode& node, std::string& value, const std::string& default_value);
 CV_EXPORTS void read(const FileNode& node, Mat& mat, const Mat& default_mat = Mat() );
 CV_EXPORTS void read(const FileNode& node, SparseMat& mat, const SparseMat& default_mat = SparseMat() );
 CV_EXPORTS void read(const FileNode& node, std::vector<KeyPoint>& keypoints);
diff --git a/modules/core/src/persistence.cpp b/modules/core/src/persistence.cpp
index ca4615e7de..bb4d953d4a 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/persistence.cpp
+++ b/modules/core/src/persistence.cpp
@@ -7374,22 +7374,21 @@ size_t FileNode::size() const
 void read(const FileNode& node, int& value, int default_value)
 {
     value = !node.node ? default_value :
-    CV_NODE_IS_INT(node.node->tag) ? node.node->data.i :
-    CV_NODE_IS_REAL(node.node->tag) ? cvRound(node.node->data.f) : 0x7fffffff;
+    CV_NODE_IS_INT(node.node->tag) ? node.node->data.i : std::numeric_limits<int>::max();
 }
 
 void read(const FileNode& node, float& value, float default_value)
 {
     value = !node.node ? default_value :
         CV_NODE_IS_INT(node.node->tag) ? (float)node.node->data.i :
-        CV_NODE_IS_REAL(node.node->tag) ? (float)node.node->data.f : 1e30f;
+        CV_NODE_IS_REAL(node.node->tag) ? saturate_cast<float>(node.node->data.f) : std::numeric_limits<float>::max();
 }
 
 void read(const FileNode& node, double& value, double default_value)
 {
     value = !node.node ? default_value :
         CV_NODE_IS_INT(node.node->tag) ? (double)node.node->data.i :
-        CV_NODE_IS_REAL(node.node->tag) ? node.node->data.f : 1e300;
+        CV_NODE_IS_REAL(node.node->tag) ? node.node->data.f : std::numeric_limits<double>::max();
 }
 
 void read(const FileNode& node, String& value, const String& default_value)
@@ -7397,6 +7396,11 @@ void read(const FileNode& node, String& value, const String& default_value)
     value = !node.node ? default_value : CV_NODE_IS_STRING(node.node->tag) ? String(node.node->data.str.ptr) : String();
 }
 
+void read(const FileNode& node, std::string& value, const std::string& default_value)
+{
+    value = !node.node ? default_value : CV_NODE_IS_STRING(node.node->tag) ? std::string(node.node->data.str.ptr) : default_value;
+}
+
 }