diff --git a/qrenderdoc/Windows/PipelineState/PipelineStateViewer.cpp b/qrenderdoc/Windows/PipelineState/PipelineStateViewer.cpp
index f6cbc3546..ebc6e1c57 100644
--- a/qrenderdoc/Windows/PipelineState/PipelineStateViewer.cpp
+++ b/qrenderdoc/Windows/PipelineState/PipelineStateViewer.cpp
@@ -94,8 +94,6 @@ PipelineStateViewer::PipelineStateViewer(ICaptureContext &ctx, QWidget *parent)
   for(size_t i = 0; i < ARRAY_COUNT(editMenus); i++)
     editMenus[i] = new QMenu(this);
 
-  setToD3D11();
-
   m_Ctx.AddCaptureViewer(this);
 }
 
@@ -648,6 +646,16 @@ void PipelineStateViewer::MakeShaderVariablesHLSL(bool cbufferContents,
   }
 }
 
+void PipelineStateViewer::showEvent(QShowEvent *event)
+{
+  // we didn't set any default pipeline state in case it would be overridden by the persist data.
+  // But if we don't have any persist data and we're about to show, default to D3D11.
+  if(m_Current == NULL)
+  {
+    setToD3D11();
+  }
+}
+
 QString PipelineStateViewer::GenerateHLSLStub(const ShaderBindpointMapping &bindpointMapping,
                                               const ShaderReflection *shaderDetails,
                                               const QString &entryFunc)
diff --git a/qrenderdoc/Windows/PipelineState/PipelineStateViewer.h b/qrenderdoc/Windows/PipelineState/PipelineStateViewer.h
index e672934b5..cccca69d9 100644
--- a/qrenderdoc/Windows/PipelineState/PipelineStateViewer.h
+++ b/qrenderdoc/Windows/PipelineState/PipelineStateViewer.h
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ public slots:
   void shaderEdit_clicked();
 
 private:
+  void showEvent(QShowEvent *event) override;
+
   Ui::PipelineStateViewer *ui;
   ICaptureContext &m_Ctx;