def default_listener(col_attr, default):
    """Establish a default-setting listener."""

    @event.listens_for(col_attr, "init_scalar", retval=True, propagate=True)
    def init_scalar(target, value, dict_):

        if default.is_callable:
            # the callable of ColumnDefault always accepts a context argument
            value = default.arg(None)
        elif default.is_scalar:
            value = default.arg
        else:
            raise NotImplementedError(
                "Can't invoke pre-default for a SQL-level column default")

        dict_[col_attr.key] = value

        return value
Establish a default-setting listener.