diff --git a/lib/libimhex/include/hex/api/workspace_manager.hpp b/lib/libimhex/include/hex/api/workspace_manager.hpp
index 6657f764c..419aa1dd5 100644
--- a/lib/libimhex/include/hex/api/workspace_manager.hpp
+++ b/lib/libimhex/include/hex/api/workspace_manager.hpp
@@ -25,11 +25,13 @@ namespace hex {
 
         static void reset();
 
+        static void process();
+
     private:
         WorkspaceManager() = default;
 
         static std::map<std::string, WorkspaceManager::Workspace> s_workspaces;
-        static decltype(s_workspaces)::iterator s_currentWorkspace;
+        static decltype(s_workspaces)::iterator s_currentWorkspace, s_previousWorkspace;
     };
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/libimhex/source/api/workspace_manager.cpp b/lib/libimhex/source/api/workspace_manager.cpp
index 8a539280d..ed96bcc2b 100644
--- a/lib/libimhex/source/api/workspace_manager.cpp
+++ b/lib/libimhex/source/api/workspace_manager.cpp
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@
 #include <wolv/io/file.hpp>
 
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
-#include <nlohmann/json_fwd.hpp>
+
+#include <imgui.h>
 
 namespace hex {
 
     std::map<std::string, WorkspaceManager::Workspace> WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces;
-    decltype(WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces)::iterator WorkspaceManager::s_currentWorkspace = WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces.end();
+    decltype(WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces)::iterator WorkspaceManager::s_currentWorkspace  = WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces.end();
+    decltype(WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces)::iterator WorkspaceManager::s_previousWorkspace = WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces.end();
 
     void WorkspaceManager::createWorkspace(const std::string& name, const std::string &layout) {
         s_workspaces[name] = Workspace {
@@ -19,8 +21,6 @@ namespace hex {
             .path = {}
         };
 
-        WorkspaceManager::switchWorkspace(name);
-
         for (const auto &path : fs::getDefaultPaths(fs::ImHexPath::Workspaces)) {
             if (WorkspaceManager::exportToFile(path / (name + ".hexws")))
                 break;
@@ -28,22 +28,12 @@ namespace hex {
     }
 
     void WorkspaceManager::switchWorkspace(const std::string& name) {
-        if (s_currentWorkspace != s_workspaces.end()) {
-            auto &[name, workspace] = *s_currentWorkspace;
-            workspace.layout = LayoutManager::saveToString();
+        auto newWorkspace = s_workspaces.find(name);
 
-            WorkspaceManager::exportToFile(workspace.path);
+        if (newWorkspace != s_workspaces.end()) {
+            s_currentWorkspace = newWorkspace;
+            log::info("Switching to workspace '{}'", name);
         }
-
-        auto it = s_workspaces.find(name);
-        if (it == s_workspaces.end()) {
-            log::error("Failed to switch workspace. Workspace '{}' does not exist", name);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        auto &[newName, newWorkspace] = *it;
-        s_currentWorkspace = it;
-        LayoutManager::loadFromString(newWorkspace.layout);
     }
 
     void WorkspaceManager::importFromFile(const std::fs::path& path) {
@@ -92,9 +82,22 @@ namespace hex {
     }
 
 
+    void WorkspaceManager::process() {
+        if (s_previousWorkspace != s_currentWorkspace) {
+            if (s_previousWorkspace != s_workspaces.end())
+                WorkspaceManager::exportToFile(s_previousWorkspace->second.path);
+
+            ImGui::LoadIniSettingsFromMemory(s_currentWorkspace->second.layout.c_str());
+
+            s_previousWorkspace = s_currentWorkspace;
+        }
+    }
+
+
     void WorkspaceManager::reset() {
         s_workspaces.clear();
-        s_currentWorkspace = WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces.end();
+        s_currentWorkspace  = WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces.end();
+        s_previousWorkspace = WorkspaceManager::s_workspaces.end();
     }
 
 
diff --git a/main/gui/include/window.hpp b/main/gui/include/window.hpp
index 5d4ff6df8..e281fd8e6 100644
--- a/main/gui/include/window.hpp
+++ b/main/gui/include/window.hpp
@@ -66,8 +66,6 @@ namespace hex {
         bool m_frameRateTemporarilyUnlocked = false;
         double m_frameRateUnlockTime = 0;
 
-        bool m_anyViewsOpen = false;
-
         ImGuiExt::ImHexCustomData m_imguiCustomData;
     };
 
diff --git a/main/gui/source/window/window.cpp b/main/gui/source/window/window.cpp
index c2ad41c77..5ca64b3e7 100644
--- a/main/gui/source/window/window.cpp
+++ b/main/gui/source/window/window.cpp
@@ -760,8 +760,6 @@ namespace hex {
     void Window::frame() {
         auto &io = ImGui::GetIO();
 
-        this->m_anyViewsOpen = ImHexApi::Provider::isValid();
-
         // Loop through all views and draw them
         for (auto &[name, view] : ContentRegistry::Views::impl::getEntries()) {
             ImGui::GetCurrentContext()->NextWindowData.ClearFlags();
@@ -854,8 +852,8 @@ namespace hex {
 
         // Process layout load requests
         // NOTE: This needs to be done before a new frame is started, otherwise ImGui won't handle docking correctly
-        if (this->m_anyViewsOpen)
-            LayoutManager::process();
+        LayoutManager::process();
+        WorkspaceManager::process();
     }
 
     void Window::initGLFW() {
diff --git a/plugins/builtin/source/content/welcome_screen.cpp b/plugins/builtin/source/content/welcome_screen.cpp
index fc202377e..3f6842a55 100644
--- a/plugins/builtin/source/content/welcome_screen.cpp
+++ b/plugins/builtin/source/content/welcome_screen.cpp
@@ -528,11 +528,6 @@ namespace hex::plugin::builtin {
             }
         });
 
-        EventProviderCreated::subscribe([](auto) {
-            if (!isAnyViewOpen())
-                loadDefaultLayout();
-        });
-
         EventWindowInitialized::subscribe([] {
             // Documentation of the value above the setting definition
             auto allowServerContact = ContentRegistry::Settings::read("hex.builtin.setting.general", "hex.builtin.setting.general.server_contact", 2);
diff --git a/plugins/builtin/source/content/workspaces.cpp b/plugins/builtin/source/content/workspaces.cpp
index 242967861..cd29acfbf 100644
--- a/plugins/builtin/source/content/workspaces.cpp
+++ b/plugins/builtin/source/content/workspaces.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #include <hex/api/content_registry.hpp>
+#include <hex/api/task_manager.hpp>
 #include <hex/api/workspace_manager.hpp>
 
 #include <hex/helpers/fs.hpp>
-#include <wolv/utils/guards.hpp>
 
 namespace hex::plugin::builtin {
 
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ namespace hex::plugin::builtin {
         }
 
         std::string currentWorkspace = ContentRegistry::Settings::read("hex.builtin.setting.general", "hex.builtin.setting.general.curr_workspace", "Default");
-        WorkspaceManager::switchWorkspace(currentWorkspace);
+
+        TaskManager::doLater([currentWorkspace] {
+            WorkspaceManager::switchWorkspace(currentWorkspace);
+        });
     }
 
 }