@@ -159,6 +159,12 @@ export const ExportFmu: CommandModule<{}, ExportFmuArgs> = {
     const simulator = new ModelicaSimulator(dae);
     simulator.prepare();
 
+    // Extract experiment annotation from the DAE as fallback for CLI flags
+    const exp = dae.experiment;
+    const startTime = args.startTime ?? args["start-time"] ?? exp.startTime;
+    const stopTime = args.stopTime ?? args["stop-time"] ?? exp.stopTime;
+    const stepSize = args.stepSize ?? args["step-size"] ?? exp.interval;
+
     // FMU type flags
     const fmuType = {
       modelExchange: args.type === "me" || args.type === "both",
@@ -175,9 +181,9 @@ export const ExportFmu: CommandModule<{}, ExportFmuArgs> = {
           modelIdentifier,
           description: args.description,
           generationTool: "ModelScript CLI",
-          startTime: args.startTime ?? args["start-time"],
-          stopTime: args.stopTime ?? args["stop-time"],
-          stepSize: args.stepSize ?? args["step-size"],
+          startTime,
+          stopTime,
+          stepSize,
           fmuType,
         },
         simulator.stateVars,
@@ -197,9 +203,9 @@ export const ExportFmu: CommandModule<{}, ExportFmuArgs> = {
         modelIdentifier,
         description: args.description,
         generationTool: "ModelScript CLI",
-        startTime: args.startTime ?? args["start-time"],
-        stopTime: args.stopTime ?? args["stop-time"],
-        stepSize: args.stepSize ?? args["step-size"],
+        startTime,
+        stopTime,
+        stepSize,
         fmuType,
         includeSources: args.source !== false,
         includeModelJson: true,
 
@@ -207,8 +207,13 @@ function mapVariable(v: ModelicaVariable, valueRef: number): FmiScalarVariable {
   };
   if (v.description) sv.description = v.description;
 
-  // Extract start value from the binding expression (if it's a literal)
-  if (v.expression) {
+  // Extract start value: first check the 'start' attribute, then the binding expression
+  const startAttr = v.attributes.get("start");
+  if (startAttr) {
+    const startVal = extractNumericLiteral(startAttr);
+    if (startVal !== null) sv.start = startVal;
+  }
+  if (sv.start === undefined && v.expression) {
     const startVal = extractNumericLiteral(v.expression);
     if (startVal !== null) sv.start = startVal;
   }
 
@@ -298,13 +298,18 @@ function generateModelC(id: string, dae: ModelicaDAE, result: FmuResult): string
       }
     }
   }
-  // Set start values for continuous variables
+  // Set start values for continuous variables (from start attribute or binding)
   for (const v of dae.variables) {
     if (v.variability === null || v.variability === undefined) {
       const ref = vrMap.get(v.name);
-      if (ref !== undefined && v.expression) {
-        const cExpr = exprToC(v.expression);
-        lines.push(`  inst->vars[${ref}] = ${cExpr};  /* ${v.name} */`);
+      if (ref !== undefined) {
+        // Prefer the 'start' attribute over the binding expression
+        const startAttr = v.attributes.get("start");
+        const initExpr = startAttr ?? v.expression;
+        if (initExpr) {
+          const cExpr = exprToC(initExpr);
+          lines.push(`  inst->vars[${ref}] = ${cExpr};  /* ${v.name} */`);
+        }
       }
     }
   }
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -298,13 +298,18 @@ function generateModelC(id: string, dae: ModelicaDAE, result: FmuResult): string`
`298`	`298`	`}`
`299`	`299`	`}`
`300`	`300`	`}`
`301`		`- // Set start values for continuous variables`
	`301`	`+ // Set start values for continuous variables (from start attribute or binding)`
`302`	`302`	`for (const v of dae.variables) {`
`303`	`303`	`if (v.variability === null \|\| v.variability === undefined) {`
`304`	`304`	`const ref = vrMap.get(v.name);`
`305`		`- if (ref !== undefined && v.expression) {`
`306`		`- const cExpr = exprToC(v.expression);`
`307`		- lines.push(` inst->vars[${ref}] = ${cExpr}; /* ${v.name} */`);
	`305`	`+ if (ref !== undefined) {`
	`306`	`+ // Prefer the 'start' attribute over the binding expression`
	`307`	`+ const startAttr = v.attributes.get("start");`
	`308`	`+ const initExpr = startAttr ?? v.expression;`
	`309`	`+ if (initExpr) {`
	`310`	`+ const cExpr = exprToC(initExpr);`
	`311`	+ lines.push(` inst->vars[${ref}] = ${cExpr}; /* ${v.name} */`);
	`312`	`+ }`
`308`	`313`	`}`
`309`	`314`	`}`
`310`	`315`	`}`