diff --git a/examples/config.rs b/examples/config.rs
index a0fe5a5..511154f 100644
--- a/examples/config.rs
+++ b/examples/config.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ type DB = FileDatabase<Config, Ron>;
 
 lazy_static! {
     static ref CONFIG: DB = {
-        let db = FileDatabase::from_path("/tmp/config.ron", Config::default())
+        let db = FileDatabase::load_from_path_or_default("/tmp/config.ron")
             .expect("Create database from path");
         db.load().expect("Config to load");
         db
diff --git a/examples/full.rs b/examples/full.rs
index 020452e..320b2f7 100644
--- a/examples/full.rs
+++ b/examples/full.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ struct Person {
 fn do_main() -> Result<(), failure::Error> {
     use std::collections::HashMap;
 
-    let db = FileDatabase::<HashMap<String, Person>, Ron>::from_path("test.ron", HashMap::new())?;
+    let db = FileDatabase::<HashMap<String, Person>, Ron>::load_from_path_or_default("test.ron")?;
 
     println!("Writing to Database");
     db.write(|db| {
diff --git a/examples/switching.rs b/examples/switching.rs
index 1dba2f2..db02f8c 100644
--- a/examples/switching.rs
+++ b/examples/switching.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ struct Person {
 fn do_main() -> Result<(), failure::Error> {
     use std::collections::HashMap;
 
-    let db = FileDatabase::<HashMap<String, Person>, Ron>::from_path("test.ron", HashMap::new())?;
+    let db = FileDatabase::<HashMap<String, Person>, Ron>::load_from_path_or_default("test.ron")?;
 
     println!("Writing to Database");
     db.write(|db| {
diff --git a/src/backend/mod.rs b/src/backend/mod.rs
index fd13c1a..889c1b1 100644
--- a/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 use failure::ResultExt;
 
-use crate::error;
+use crate::error::{self, RustbreakErrorKind as ErrorKind};
 
 /// The Backend Trait.
 ///
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ pub use mmap::MmapStorage;
 mod path;
 pub use path::PathBackend;
 
-/// A backend using a file
+/// A backend using a file.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct FileBackend(std::fs::File);
 
@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@ impl Backend for FileBackend {
         let mut buffer = vec![];
         self.0
             .seek(SeekFrom::Start(0))
-            .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
+            .context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
         self.0
             .read_to_end(&mut buffer)
-            .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
+            .context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
         Ok(buffer)
     }
 
@@ -82,16 +82,10 @@ impl Backend for FileBackend {
 
         self.0
             .seek(SeekFrom::Start(0))
-            .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
-        self.0
-            .set_len(0)
-            .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
-        self.0
-            .write_all(data)
-            .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
-        self.0
-            .sync_all()
-            .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
+            .context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
+        self.0.set_len(0).context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
+        self.0.write_all(data).context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
+        self.0.sync_all().context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -108,7 +102,7 @@ impl FileBackend {
                 .write(true)
                 .create(true)
                 .open(path)
-                .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?,
+                .context(ErrorKind::Backend)?,
         ))
     }
 
@@ -125,6 +119,58 @@ impl FileBackend {
     }
 }
 
+impl FileBackend {
+    /// Opens a new [`FileBackend`] for a given path.
+    /// Errors when the file doesn't yet exist.
+    pub fn from_path_or_fail<P: AsRef<std::path::Path>>(path: P) -> error::Result<Self> {
+        use std::fs::OpenOptions;
+
+        Ok(Self(
+            OpenOptions::new()
+                .read(true)
+                .write(true)
+                .open(path)
+                .context(ErrorKind::Backend)?,
+        ))
+    }
+
+    /// Opens a new [`FileBackend`] for a given path.
+    /// Creates a file if it doesn't yet exist.
+    ///
+    /// Returns the [`FileBackend`] and whether the file already existed.
+    pub fn from_path_or_create<P: AsRef<std::path::Path>>(path: P) -> error::Result<(Self, bool)> {
+        use std::fs::OpenOptions;
+
+        let exists = path.as_ref().is_file();
+        Ok((
+            Self(
+                OpenOptions::new()
+                    .read(true)
+                    .write(true)
+                    .create(true)
+                    .open(path)
+                    .context(ErrorKind::Backend)?,
+            ),
+            exists,
+        ))
+    }
+
+    /// Opens a new [`FileBackend`] for a given path.
+    /// Creates a file if it doesn't yet exist, and calls `closure` with it.
+    pub fn from_path_or_create_and<P, C>(path: P, closure: C) -> error::Result<Self>
+    where
+        C: FnOnce(&mut std::fs::File),
+        P: AsRef<std::path::Path>,
+    {
+        Self::from_path_or_create(path).map(|(mut b, exists)| {
+            if exists {
+                closure(&mut b.0)
+            }
+            b
+        })
+    }
+}
+
 /// An in memory backend.
 ///
 /// It is backed by a byte vector (`Vec<u8>`).
diff --git a/src/backend/path.rs b/src/backend/path.rs
index 2ea787f..5fa7296 100644
--- a/src/backend/path.rs
+++ b/src/backend/path.rs
@@ -24,12 +24,44 @@ pub struct PathBackend {
 
 impl PathBackend {
     /// Opens a new [`PathBackend`] for a given path.
-    pub fn open(path: PathBuf) -> error::Result<Self> {
+    /// Errors when the file doesn't yet exist.
+    pub fn from_path_or_fail(path: PathBuf) -> error::Result<Self> {
+        OpenOptions::new()
+            .open(path.as_path())
+            .context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
+        Ok(Self { path })
+    }
+
+    /// Opens a new [`PathBackend`] for a given path.
+    /// Creates a file if it doesn't yet exist.
+    ///
+    /// Returns the [`PathBackend`] and whether the file already existed.
+    pub fn from_path_or_create(path: PathBuf) -> error::Result<(Self, bool)> {
+        let exists = path.as_path().is_file();
         OpenOptions::new()
             .write(true)
             .create(true)
             .open(path.as_path())
             .context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
+        Ok((Self { path }, exists))
+    }
+
+    /// Opens a new [`PathBackend`] for a given path.
+    /// Creates a file if it doesn't yet exist, and calls `closure` with it.
+    pub fn from_path_or_create_and<C>(path: PathBuf, closure: C) -> error::Result<Self>
+    where
+        C: FnOnce(&mut std::fs::File),
+    {
+        let exists = path.as_path().is_file();
+        let mut file = OpenOptions::new()
+            .read(true)
+            .write(true)
+            .create(true)
+            .open(path.as_path())
+            .context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
+        if !exists {
+            closure(&mut file)
+        }
         Ok(Self { path })
     }
 }
@@ -75,8 +107,9 @@ mod tests {
     #[cfg_attr(miri, ignore)]
     fn test_path_backend_existing() {
         let file = NamedTempFile::new().expect("could not create temporary file");
-        let mut backend =
-            PathBackend::open(file.path().to_owned()).expect("could not create backend");
+        let (mut backend, existed) = PathBackend::from_path_or_create(file.path().to_owned())
+            .expect("could not create backend");
+        assert!(existed);
         let data = [4, 5, 1, 6, 8, 1];
 
         backend.put_data(&data).expect("could not put data");
@@ -89,7 +122,9 @@ mod tests {
         let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("could not create temporary directory");
         let mut file_path = dir.path().to_owned();
         file_path.push("rustbreak_path_db.db");
-        let mut backend = PathBackend::open(file_path).expect("could not create backend");
+        let (mut backend, existed) =
+            PathBackend::from_path_or_create(file_path).expect("could not create backend");
+        assert!(!existed);
         let data = [4, 5, 1, 6, 8, 1];
 
         backend.put_data(&data).expect("could not put data");
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 4ea0354..ccaa9c1 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ pub use crate::error::RustbreakError;
 
 use std::fmt::Debug;
 use std::ops::Deref;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::{Mutex, RwLock, RwLockReadGuard, RwLockWriteGuard};
 
 use failure::ResultExt;
@@ -220,6 +221,8 @@ use serde::Serialize;
 use crate::backend::MmapStorage;
 use crate::backend::{Backend, FileBackend, MemoryBackend, PathBackend};
 
+use crate::error::RustbreakErrorKind as ErrorKind;
+
 /// The Central Database to Rustbreak.
 ///
 /// It has 3 Type Generics:
@@ -302,10 +305,7 @@ where
     where
         T: FnOnce(&mut Data) -> R,
     {
-        let mut lock = self
-            .data
-            .write()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?;
+        let mut lock = self.data.write().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?;
         Ok(task(&mut lock))
     }
 
@@ -388,15 +388,12 @@ where
     where
         T: FnOnce(&mut Data) + std::panic::UnwindSafe,
     {
-        let mut lock = self
-            .data
-            .write()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?;
+        let mut lock = self.data.write().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?;
         let mut data = lock.clone();
         std::panic::catch_unwind(::std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(|| {
             task(&mut data);
         }))
-        .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::WritePanic)?;
+        .map_err(|_| ErrorKind::WritePanic)?;
         *lock = data;
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -422,10 +419,7 @@ where
     where
         T: FnOnce(&Data) -> R,
     {
-        let mut lock = self
-            .data
-            .read()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?;
+        let mut lock = self.data.read().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?;
         Ok(task(&mut lock))
     }
 
@@ -467,9 +461,7 @@ where
     /// # }
     /// ```
     pub fn borrow_data<'a>(&'a self) -> error::Result<RwLockReadGuard<'a, Data>> {
-        self.data
-            .read()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison.into())
+        self.data.read().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison.into())
     }
 
     /// Write lock the database and get access to the underlying struct.
@@ -522,34 +514,26 @@ where
     /// # }
     /// ```
     pub fn borrow_data_mut<'a>(&'a self) -> error::Result<RwLockWriteGuard<'a, Data>> {
-        self.data
-            .write()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison.into())
+        self.data.write().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison.into())
+    }
+
+    /// Load data from backend and return this data.
+    fn load_from_backend(backend: &mut Back, deser: &DeSer) -> error::Result<Data> {
+        let new_data = deser
+            .deserialize(&backend.get_data().context(ErrorKind::Backend)?[..])
+            .context(ErrorKind::Deserialization)?;
+
+        Ok(new_data)
     }
 
     /// Like [`Self::load`] but returns the write lock to data it used.
     fn load_get_data_lock(&self) -> error::Result<RwLockWriteGuard<'_, Data>> {
-        let mut backend_lock = self
-            .backend
-            .lock()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?;
+        let mut backend_lock = self.backend.lock().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?;
 
-        //let fresh_data = Self::inner_load(&mut backend_lock,
-        // &self.deser).context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
-        let fresh_data = self
-            .deser
-            .deserialize(
-                &backend_lock
-                    .get_data()
-                    .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?[..],
-            )
-            .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Deserialization)?;
+        let fresh_data = Self::load_from_backend(&mut backend_lock, &self.deser)?;
         drop(backend_lock);
 
-        let mut data_write_lock = self
-            .data
-            .write()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?;
+        let mut data_write_lock = self.data.write().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?;
         *data_write_lock = fresh_data;
         Ok(data_write_lock)
     }
@@ -560,31 +544,21 @@ where
     }
 
     /// Like [`Self::save`] but with explicit read (or write) lock to data.
-    fn save_data_locked<L: Deref<Target = Data>>(&self, lock: L) -> error::Result<()>
-//where L::Target = Data
-    {
+    fn save_data_locked<L: Deref<Target = Data>>(&self, lock: L) -> error::Result<()> {
         let ser = self
             .deser
             .serialize(lock.deref())
-            .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Serialization)?;
+            .context(ErrorKind::Serialization)?;
         drop(lock);
 
-        let mut backend = self
-            .backend
-            .lock()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?;
-        backend
-            .put_data(&ser)
-            .context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
+        let mut backend = self.backend.lock().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?;
+        backend.put_data(&ser).context(ErrorKind::Backend)?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
     /// Flush the data structure to the backend.
     pub fn save(&self) -> error::Result<()> {
-        let data = self
-            .data
-            .read()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?;
+        let data = self.data.read().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?;
         self.save_data_locked(data)
     }
 
@@ -596,9 +570,7 @@ where
         let data = if load {
             self.load_get_data_lock()?
         } else {
-            self.data
-                .write()
-                .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?
+            self.data.write().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?
         };
         Ok(data.clone())
     }
@@ -607,10 +579,7 @@ where
     ///
     /// To save the data afterwards, call with `save` true.
     pub fn put_data(&self, new_data: Data, save: bool) -> error::Result<()> {
-        let mut data = self
-            .data
-            .write()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?;
+        let mut data = self.data.write().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?;
         *data = new_data;
         if save {
             self.save_data_locked(data)
@@ -631,12 +600,8 @@ where
     /// Break a database into its individual parts.
     pub fn into_inner(self) -> error::Result<(Data, Back, DeSer)> {
         Ok((
-            self.data
-                .into_inner()
-                .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?,
-            self.backend
-                .into_inner()
-                .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?,
+            self.data.into_inner().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?,
+            self.backend.into_inner().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?,
             self.deser,
         ))
     }
@@ -685,10 +650,7 @@ where
     /// # }
     /// ```
     pub fn try_clone(&self) -> error::Result<MemoryDatabase<Data, DeSer>> {
-        let lock = self
-            .data
-            .read()
-            .map_err(|_| error::RustbreakErrorKind::Poison)?;
+        let lock = self.data.read().map_err(|_| ErrorKind::Poison)?;
 
         Ok(Database {
             data: RwLock::new(lock.clone()),
@@ -706,18 +668,107 @@ where
     Data: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Clone + Send,
     DeSer: DeSerializer<Data> + Send + Sync + Clone,
 {
-    /// Create new [`FileDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path).
-    pub fn from_path<S>(path: S, data: Data) -> error::Result<Self>
+    /// Create new [`FileDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path),
+    /// and load the contents.
+    pub fn load_from_path<S>(path: S) -> error::Result<Self>
     where
         S: AsRef<std::path::Path>,
     {
-        let backend = FileBackend::open(path).context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
+        let mut backend = FileBackend::from_path_or_fail(path)?;
+        let deser = DeSer::default();
+        let data = Self::load_from_backend(&mut backend, &deser)?;
 
-        Ok(Self {
+        let db = Self {
             data: RwLock::new(data),
             backend: Mutex::new(backend),
-            deser: DeSer::default(),
-        })
+            deser,
+        };
+        Ok(db)
+    }
+
+    /// Load [`FileDatabase`] at `path` or initialise with `data`.
+    ///
+    /// Create new [`FileDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path),
+    /// and load the contents. If the file does not exist, initialise with
+    /// `data`.
+    pub fn load_from_path_or<S>(path: S, data: Data) -> error::Result<Self>
+    where
+        S: AsRef<std::path::Path>,
+    {
+        let (mut backend, exists) = FileBackend::from_path_or_create(path)?;
+        let deser = DeSer::default();
+        if !exists {
+            let ser = deser.serialize(&data).context(ErrorKind::Serialization)?;
+            backend.put_data(&ser)?;
+        }
+
+        let db = Self {
+            data: RwLock::new(data),
+            backend: Mutex::new(backend),
+            deser,
+        };
+
+        if exists {
+            db.load()?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(db)
+    }
+
+    /// Load [`FileDatabase`] at `path` or initialise with `closure`.
+    ///
+    /// Create new [`FileDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path),
+    /// and load the contents. If the file does not exist, `closure` is
+    /// called and the database is initialised with it's return value.
+    pub fn load_from_path_or_else<S, C>(path: S, closure: C) -> error::Result<Self>
+    where
+        S: AsRef<std::path::Path>,
+        C: FnOnce() -> Data,
+    {
+        let (mut backend, exists) = FileBackend::from_path_or_create(path)?;
+        let deser = DeSer::default();
+        let data = if exists {
+            Self::load_from_backend(&mut backend, &deser)?
+        } else {
+            let data = closure();
+
+            let ser = deser.serialize(&data).context(ErrorKind::Serialization)?;
+            backend.put_data(&ser)?;
+
+            data
+        };
+
+        let db = Self {
+            data: RwLock::new(data),
+            backend: Mutex::new(backend),
+            deser,
+        };
+        Ok(db)
+    }
+
+    /// Create [`FileDatabase`] at `path`. Initialise with `data` if the file
+    /// doesn't exist.
+    ///
+    /// Create new [`FileDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path).
+    /// Contents are not loaded. If the file does not exist, it is
+    /// initialised with `data`. Frontend is always initialised with `data`.
+    pub fn create_at_path<S>(path: S, data: Data) -> error::Result<Self>
+    where
+        S: AsRef<std::path::Path>,
+    {
+        let (mut backend, exists) = FileBackend::from_path_or_create(path)?;
+        let deser = DeSer::default();
+        if !exists {
+            let ser = deser.serialize(&data).context(ErrorKind::Serialization)?;
+            backend.put_data(&ser)?;
+        }
+
+        let db = Self {
+            data: RwLock::new(data),
+            backend: Mutex::new(backend),
+            deser,
+        };
+        Ok(db)
     }
 
     /// Create new [`FileDatabase`] from a file.
@@ -732,6 +783,24 @@ where
     }
 }
 
+impl<Data, DeSer> Database<Data, FileBackend, DeSer>
+where
+    Data: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Clone + Send + Default,
+    DeSer: DeSerializer<Data> + Send + Sync + Clone,
+{
+    /// Load [`FileDatabase`] at `path` or initialise with `Data::default()`.
+    ///
+    /// Create new [`FileDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path),
+    /// and load the contents. If the file does not exist, initialise with
+    /// `Data::default`.
+    pub fn load_from_path_or_default<S>(path: S) -> error::Result<Self>
+    where
+        S: AsRef<std::path::Path>,
+    {
+        Self::load_from_path_or(path, Data::default())
+    }
+}
+
 /// A database backed by a file, using atomic saves.
 pub type PathDatabase<D, DS> = Database<D, PathBackend, DS>;
 
@@ -740,21 +809,112 @@ where
     Data: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Clone + Send,
     DeSer: DeSerializer<Data> + Send + Sync + Clone,
 {
-    /// Create new [`PathDatabase`] from a [`Path`](std::path::Path).
-    pub fn from_path<S>(path: S, data: Data) -> error::Result<Self>
-    where
-        S: ToOwned<Owned = std::path::PathBuf>,
-        std::path::PathBuf: std::borrow::Borrow<S>,
-    {
-        #[allow(clippy::redundant_clone)] // false positive
-        let backend =
-            PathBackend::open(path.to_owned()).context(error::RustbreakErrorKind::Backend)?;
+    /// Create new [`PathDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path),
+    /// and load the contents.
+    pub fn load_from_path(path: PathBuf) -> error::Result<Self> {
+        let mut backend = PathBackend::from_path_or_fail(path)?;
+        let deser = DeSer::default();
+        let data = Self::load_from_backend(&mut backend, &deser)?;
 
-        Ok(Self {
+        let db = Self {
             data: RwLock::new(data),
             backend: Mutex::new(backend),
-            deser: DeSer::default(),
-        })
+            deser,
+        };
+        Ok(db)
+    }
+
+    /// Load [`PathDatabase`] at `path` or initialise with `data`.
+    ///
+    /// Create new [`PathDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path),
+    /// and load the contents. If the file does not exist, initialise with
+    /// `data`.
+    pub fn load_from_path_or(path: PathBuf, data: Data) -> error::Result<Self> {
+        let (mut backend, exists) = PathBackend::from_path_or_create(path)?;
+        let deser = DeSer::default();
+        if !exists {
+            let ser = deser.serialize(&data).context(ErrorKind::Serialization)?;
+            backend.put_data(&ser)?;
+        }
+
+        let db = Self {
+            data: RwLock::new(data),
+            backend: Mutex::new(backend),
+            deser,
+        };
+
+        if exists {
+            db.load()?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(db)
+    }
+
+    /// Load [`PathDatabase`] at `path` or initialise with `closure`.
+    ///
+    /// Create new [`PathDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path),
+    /// and load the contents. If the file does not exist, `closure` is
+    /// called and the database is initialised with it's return value.
+    pub fn load_from_path_or_else<C>(path: PathBuf, closure: C) -> error::Result<Self>
+    where
+        C: FnOnce() -> Data,
+    {
+        let (mut backend, exists) = PathBackend::from_path_or_create(path)?;
+        let deser = DeSer::default();
+        let data = if exists {
+            Self::load_from_backend(&mut backend, &deser)?
+        } else {
+            let data = closure();
+
+            let ser = deser.serialize(&data).context(ErrorKind::Serialization)?;
+            backend.put_data(&ser)?;
+
+            data
+        };
+
+        let db = Self {
+            data: RwLock::new(data),
+            backend: Mutex::new(backend),
+            deser,
+        };
+        Ok(db)
+    }
+
+    /// Create [`PathDatabase`] at `path`. Initialise with `data` if the file
+    /// doesn't exist.
+    ///
+    /// Create new [`PathDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path).
+    /// Contents are not loaded. If the file does not exist, it is
+    /// initialised with `data`. Frontend is always initialised with `data`.
+    pub fn create_at_path(path: PathBuf, data: Data) -> error::Result<Self> {
+        let (mut backend, exists) = PathBackend::from_path_or_create(path)?;
+        let deser = DeSer::default();
+        if !exists {
+            let ser = deser.serialize(&data).context(ErrorKind::Serialization)?;
+            backend.put_data(&ser)?;
+        }
+
+        let db = Self {
+            data: RwLock::new(data),
+            backend: Mutex::new(backend),
+            deser,
+        };
+        Ok(db)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<Data, DeSer> Database<Data, PathBackend, DeSer>
+where
+    Data: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Clone + Send + Default,
+    DeSer: DeSerializer<Data> + Send + Sync + Clone,
+{
+    /// Load [`PathDatabase`] at `path` or initialise with `Data::default()`.
+    ///
+    /// Create new [`PathDatabase`] from the file at [`Path`](std::path::Path),
+    /// and load the contents. If the file does not exist, initialise with
+    /// `Data::default`.
+    pub fn load_from_path_or_default(path: PathBuf) -> error::Result<Self> {
+        Self::load_from_path_or(path, Data::default())
     }
 }
 
@@ -982,7 +1142,7 @@ mod tests {
                 panic!("Panic should be catched")
             })
             .expect_err("Did not error on panic in safe write!");
-        assert_eq!(crate::error::RustbreakErrorKind::WritePanic, err.kind());
+        assert_eq!(ErrorKind::WritePanic, err.kind());
 
         assert_eq!(
             "Hello World",
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests.rs b/tests/integration_tests.rs
index 979aca9..a092c22 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests.rs
+++ b/tests/integration_tests.rs
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ fn create_filedb<S: DeSerializer<Data> + Debug>() -> FileDatabase<Data, S> {
 
 fn create_filedb_from_path<S: DeSerializer<Data> + Debug>() -> FileDatabase<Data, S> {
     let file = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().expect("could not create temporary file");
-    FileDatabase::from_path(file.path(), Data::default()).expect("could not create database")
+    FileDatabase::create_at_path(file.path(), Data::default()).expect("could not create database")
 }
 
 fn create_memdb<S: DeSerializer<Data> + Debug>() -> MemoryDatabase<Data, S> {
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ fn create_mmapdb_with_size<S: DeSerializer<Data> + Debug>(size: usize) -> MmapDa
 
 fn create_pathdb<S: DeSerializer<Data> + Debug>() -> PathDatabase<Data, S> {
     let file = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().expect("could not create temporary file");
-    PathDatabase::from_path(file.path().to_owned(), Data::default())
+    PathDatabase::create_at_path(file.path().to_owned(), Data::default())
         .expect("could not create database")
 }