diff --git a/src/layui/layui/layLayerControlPanel.cc b/src/layui/layui/layLayerControlPanel.cc
index e12e72ca4..f0ec2337a 100644
--- a/src/layui/layui/layLayerControlPanel.cc
+++ b/src/layui/layui/layLayerControlPanel.cc
@@ -1950,6 +1950,9 @@ LayerControlPanel::do_update_content ()
     mp_layer_list->setRootIsDecorated (has_children);
     mp_layer_list->doItemsLayout ();
 
+    //  establishes the current layer in case it was changed during the "in update" phase
+    mp_layer_list->set_current (lay::LayerPropertiesConstIterator (mp_view->get_properties (), m_current_layer));
+
     m_needs_update = false;
 
   } else if (m_needs_update) {