diff --git a/qcodes/instrument/parameter.py b/qcodes/instrument/parameter.py
index 8d4fe186a05..cb84e287588 100644
--- a/qcodes/instrument/parameter.py
+++ b/qcodes/instrument/parameter.py
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ def __init__(self, name, instrument, snapshot_get=True, metadata=None,
         # record of latest value and when it was set or measured
         # what exactly this means is different for different subclasses
         # but they all use the same attributes so snapshot is consistent.
-        self._latest = {'value': None, 'ts': None}
+        self._latest = {'value': None, 'ts': None, 'raw_value': None}
         self.get_latest = GetLatest(self, max_val_age=max_val_age)
 
         if hasattr(self, 'get'):
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def __init__(self, name, instrument, snapshot_get=True, metadata=None,
 
         # subclasses should extend this list with extra attributes they
         # want automatically included in the snapshot
-        self._meta_attrs = ['name', 'instrument', 'step', 'scale', 'raw_value',
+        self._meta_attrs = ['name', 'instrument', 'step', 'scale',
                             'inter_delay', 'post_delay', 'val_mapping', 'vals']
 
         # Specify time of last set operation, used when comparing to delay to
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ def snapshot_base(self, update=False):
 
         if not self._snapshot_value:
             state.pop('value')
+            state.pop('raw_value', None)
 
         if isinstance(state['ts'], datetime):
             state['ts'] = state['ts'].strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
@@ -267,7 +268,8 @@ def snapshot_base(self, update=False):
     def _save_val(self, value, validate=False):
         if validate:
             self.validate(value)
-        self._latest = {'value': value, 'ts': datetime.now()}
+        self._latest = {'value': value, 'ts': datetime.now(),
+                        'raw_value': self.raw_value}
 
     def _wrap_get(self, get_function):
         @wraps(get_function)
@@ -347,8 +349,13 @@ def set_wrapper(value, **kwargs):
 
                     set_function(val, **kwargs)
                     self.raw_value = val
-                    self._save_val(val, validate=(self.val_mapping is None and
-                                                  self.set_parser is None))
+                    if self.scale is not None:
+                        scaled_val = val / self.scale
+                    else:
+                        scaled_val = val
+                    self._save_val(scaled_val,
+                                   validate=(self.val_mapping is None and
+                                             self.set_parser is None))
 
                     # Update last set time (used for calculating delays)
                     self._t_last_set = time.perf_counter()
@@ -379,7 +386,9 @@ def get_ramp_values(self, value, step=None):
         if step is None:
             return [value]
         else:
-            start_value = self.get_latest()
+            if self.get_latest() is None:
+                self.get()
+            start_value = self.raw_value
 
             self.validate(start_value)
 
@@ -647,7 +656,8 @@ def __init__(self, name, instrument=None, label=None, unit=None,
                 if max_val_age is not None:
                     raise SyntaxError('Must have get method or specify get_cmd '
                                       'when max_val_age is set')
-                self.get = self.get_latest
+                self.get = lambda: self._latest['value' if self.scale is None
+                                                else 'raw_value']
             else:
                 exec_str = instrument.ask if instrument else None
                 self.get = Command(arg_count=0, cmd=get_cmd, exec_str=exec_str)
@@ -667,7 +677,7 @@ def __init__(self, name, instrument=None, label=None, unit=None,
         self.unit = unit if unit is not None else ''
 
         if initial_value is not None:
-            self._save_val(initial_value, validate=True)
+            self.set(initial_value)
 
         # generate default docstring
         self.__doc__ = os.linesep.join((