diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index d30b4e98..aabfc14d 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 #include "client.h"
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "ewmh.h"
+#include "tag.h"
 #include "common/awclient.h"
 #include "common/util.h"
 #include "common/awesome-version.h"
@@ -309,7 +310,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     /* do this only for real screen */
     for(screen = 0; screen < ScreenCount(dpy); screen++)
     {
-        loadawesomeprops(screen);
+        /* if loadawesomeprops fails, set view on first tag */
+        if(!loadawesomeprops(screen))
+            tag_view(globalconf.screens[screen].tags, True);
         ewmh_set_supported_hints(screen);
         /* call this to at least grab root window clicks */
         window_root_grabbuttons(screen);
diff --git a/layout.c b/layout.c
index 7dd9e279..72a42cf9 100644
--- a/layout.c
+++ b/layout.c
@@ -111,12 +111,13 @@ layout_get_current(int screen)
     return l;
 }
 
-void
+Bool
 loadawesomeprops(int screen)
 {
     int i, ntags = 0;
     char *prop;
     Tag *tag;
+    Bool ret = False;
 
     for(tag = globalconf.screens[screen].tags; tag; tag = tag->next)
         ntags++;
@@ -127,9 +128,15 @@ loadawesomeprops(int screen)
                     XInternAtom(globalconf.display, "_AWESOME_PROPERTIES", False),
                     prop, ntags + 1))
         for(i = 0, tag = globalconf.screens[screen].tags; tag && prop[i]; i++, tag = tag->next)
-            tag_view_byindex(screen, i, prop[i] == '1');
+            if(prop[i] == '1')
+            {
+                tag_view_byindex(screen, i, prop[i] == '1');
+                ret = True;
+            }
 
     p_delete(&prop);
+
+    return ret;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/layout.h b/layout.h
index b689ea7a..2ce67df3 100644
--- a/layout.h
+++ b/layout.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ DO_SLIST(Layout, layout, p_delete);
 
 int layout_refresh(void);
 Layout * layout_get_current(int);
-void loadawesomeprops(int);
+Bool loadawesomeprops(int);
 void saveawesomeprops(int);
 
 Uicb uicb_tag_setlayout;