diff --git a/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/array_dim_fill.php.inc b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/array_dim_fill.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6cf56e8106c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/array_dim_fill.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector\Fixture;
+
+class ArrayDimFill
+{
+    public function run(array $keys): array
+    {
+        foreach ($keys as $key) {
+            $result[$key] = $key;
+        }
+
+        return $result ?? [];
+    }
+}
+
+?>
+-----
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector\Fixture;
+
+class ArrayDimFill
+{
+    public function run(array $keys): array
+    {
+        $result = [];
+        foreach ($keys as $key) {
+            $result[$key] = $key;
+        }
+
+        return $result;
+    }
+}
+
+?>
diff --git a/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/skip_already_initialized.php.inc b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/skip_already_initialized.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f13fd94570a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/skip_already_initialized.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector\Fixture;
+
+class SkipAlreadyInitialized
+{
+    public function run(array $keys): array
+    {
+        $result = [];
+        foreach ($keys as $key) {
+            $result[$key] = $key;
+        }
+
+        return $result ?? [];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/skip_no_array_dim_write.php.inc b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/skip_no_array_dim_write.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..438e1e8cace
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/skip_no_array_dim_write.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector\Fixture;
+
+class SkipNoArrayDimWrite
+{
+    public function run(array $config): array
+    {
+        return $config['items'] ?? [];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/string_default_in_if_else.php.inc b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/string_default_in_if_else.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..525c4b929a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/Fixture/string_default_in_if_else.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector\Fixture;
+
+class StringDefaultInIfElse
+{
+    public function run(array $keys, array $values): array
+    {
+        foreach ($keys as $key) {
+            if (isset($values[$key])) {
+                $row[$key] = $values[$key];
+            } else {
+                $row[$key] = '';
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $row ?? [];
+    }
+}
+
+?>
+-----
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector\Fixture;
+
+class StringDefaultInIfElse
+{
+    public function run(array $keys, array $values): array
+    {
+        $row = [];
+        foreach ($keys as $key) {
+            if (isset($values[$key])) {
+                $row[$key] = $values[$key];
+            } else {
+                $row[$key] = '';
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $row;
+    }
+}
+
+?>
diff --git a/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRectorTest.php b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRectorTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..78a668fcbbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRectorTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector;
+
+use Iterator;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider;
+use Rector\Testing\PHPUnit\AbstractRectorTestCase;
+
+final class InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRectorTest extends AbstractRectorTestCase
+{
+    #[DataProvider('provideData')]
+    public function test(string $filePath): void
+    {
+        $this->doTestFile($filePath);
+    }
+
+    public static function provideData(): Iterator
+    {
+        return self::yieldFilesFromDirectory(__DIR__ . '/Fixture');
+    }
+
+    public function provideConfigFilePath(): string
+    {
+        return __DIR__ . '/config/configured_rule.php';
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/config/configured_rule.php b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/config/configured_rule.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3daae322b59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector/config/configured_rule.php
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+use Rector\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector;
+use Rector\Config\RectorConfig;
+
+return static function (RectorConfig $rectorConfig): void {
+    $rectorConfig->rule(InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector::class);
+};
diff --git a/rules/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector.php b/rules/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..30f99a6defa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules/CodeQuality/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector.php
@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace Rector\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface;
+
+use PhpParser\Node;
+use PhpParser\Node\Expr;
+use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Array_;
+use PhpParser\Node\Expr\ArrayDimFetch;
+use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Assign;
+use PhpParser\Node\Expr\BinaryOp\Coalesce;
+use PhpParser\Node\Expr\ConstFetch;
+use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Variable;
+use PhpParser\Node\Scalar;
+use PhpParser\Node\Stmt;
+use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Expression;
+use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Return_;
+use Rector\PhpParser\Enum\NodeGroup;
+use Rector\PhpParser\Node\BetterNodeFinder;
+use Rector\Rector\AbstractRector;
+use Symplify\RuleDocGenerator\ValueObject\CodeSample\CodeSample;
+use Symplify\RuleDocGenerator\ValueObject\RuleDefinition;
+
+/**
+ * @see \Rector\Tests\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRectorTest
+ */
+final class InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector extends AbstractRector
+{
+    public function __construct(
+        private readonly BetterNodeFinder $betterNodeFinder
+    ) {
+    }
+
+    public function getRuleDefinition(): RuleDefinition
+    {
+        return new RuleDefinition(
+            'Initialize a variable with its default value before it is filled, instead of null coalescing a possibly undefined variable on return',
+            [
+                new CodeSample(
+                    <<<'CODE_SAMPLE'
+function run(array $keys): array
+{
+    foreach ($keys as $key) {
+        $result[$key] = $key;
+    }
+
+    return $result ?? [];
+}
+CODE_SAMPLE
+                    ,
+                    <<<'CODE_SAMPLE'
+function run(array $keys): array
+{
+    $result = [];
+    foreach ($keys as $key) {
+        $result[$key] = $key;
+    }
+
+    return $result;
+}
+CODE_SAMPLE
+                ),
+            ]
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return array<class-string<Node>>
+     */
+    public function getNodeTypes(): array
+    {
+        return NodeGroup::STMTS_AWARE;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param StmtsAware $node
+     */
+    public function refactor(Node $node): ?Node
+    {
+        if ($node->stmts === null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        $stmts = $node->stmts;
+
+        foreach ($stmts as $returnKey => $stmt) {
+            if (! $stmt instanceof Return_) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if (! $stmt->expr instanceof Coalesce) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            $coalesce = $stmt->expr;
+            if (! $coalesce->left instanceof Variable) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if (! $this->isLiteralDefault($coalesce->right)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            $variableName = $this->getName($coalesce->left);
+            if ($variableName === null) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if (! $this->isFilledOnlyAsArrayDim($stmts, $variableName)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            $insertKey = $this->resolveFirstArrayDimWriteKey($stmts, $returnKey, $variableName);
+            if ($insertKey === null) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            $initExpression = new Expression(new Assign(new Variable($variableName), $coalesce->right));
+            array_splice($stmts, $insertKey, 0, [$initExpression]);
+
+            $stmt->expr = $coalesce->left;
+
+            $node->stmts = $stmts;
+
+            return $node;
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    private function isLiteralDefault(Expr $expr): bool
+    {
+        return $expr instanceof Array_ || $expr instanceof Scalar || $expr instanceof ConstFetch;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The variable must be written at least once as an array dimension and never assigned directly,
+     * otherwise the null coalesce guards a real value, not just an undefined variable.
+     *
+     * @param Stmt[] $stmts
+     */
+    private function isFilledOnlyAsArrayDim(array $stmts, string $variableName): bool
+    {
+        $hasArrayDimAssign = false;
+
+        $assigns = $this->betterNodeFinder->findInstancesOf($stmts, [Assign::class]);
+        foreach ($assigns as $assign) {
+            if ($assign->var instanceof Variable && $this->isName($assign->var, $variableName)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            if (! $assign->var instanceof ArrayDimFetch) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            $rootVariable = $this->resolveArrayDimRootVariable($assign->var);
+            if ($rootVariable instanceof Variable && $this->isName($rootVariable, $variableName)) {
+                $hasArrayDimAssign = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $hasArrayDimAssign;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param Stmt[] $stmts
+     */
+    private function resolveFirstArrayDimWriteKey(array $stmts, int $returnKey, string $variableName): ?int
+    {
+        foreach ($stmts as $key => $stmt) {
+            if ($key >= $returnKey) {
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            $foundArrayDimAssign = $this->betterNodeFinder->findFirst($stmt, function (Node $subNode) use (
+                $variableName
+            ): bool {
+                if (! $subNode instanceof Assign) {
+                    return false;
+                }
+
+                if (! $subNode->var instanceof ArrayDimFetch) {
+                    return false;
+                }
+
+                $expr = $this->resolveArrayDimRootVariable($subNode->var);
+                return $expr instanceof Variable && $this->isName($expr, $variableName);
+            });
+
+            if ($foundArrayDimAssign instanceof Node) {
+                return $key;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    private function resolveArrayDimRootVariable(ArrayDimFetch $arrayDimFetch): Expr
+    {
+        $currentVariable = $arrayDimFetch->var;
+        while ($currentVariable instanceof ArrayDimFetch) {
+            $currentVariable = $currentVariable->var;
+        }
+
+        return $currentVariable;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Config/Level/CodeQualityLevel.php b/src/Config/Level/CodeQualityLevel.php
index 92ffa6a1970..a8f3c4b69ab 100644
--- a/src/Config/Level/CodeQualityLevel.php
+++ b/src/Config/Level/CodeQualityLevel.php
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
 use Rector\CodeQuality\Rector\NotEqual\CommonNotEqualRector;
 use Rector\CodeQuality\Rector\NullsafeMethodCall\CleanupUnneededNullsafeOperatorRector;
 use Rector\CodeQuality\Rector\Property\FixClassCaseSensitivityVarDocblockRector;
+use Rector\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector;
 use Rector\CodeQuality\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\MoveInnerFunctionToTopLevelRector;
 use Rector\CodeQuality\Rector\Switch_\SingularSwitchToIfRector;
 use Rector\CodeQuality\Rector\Switch_\SwitchTrueToIfRector;
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ final class CodeQualityLevel
         RepeatedOrEqualToInArrayRector::class,
         RepeatedAndNotEqualToNotInArrayRector::class,
         MoveInnerFunctionToTopLevelRector::class,
+        InitVariableDefaultBeforeNullCoalesceReturnRector::class,
         InnerFunctionToPrivateMethodRector::class,
         SimplifyForeachToCoalescingRector::class,
         SimplifyFuncGetArgsCountRector::class,