diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.c
index 67e7791f0..a3e92f2e7 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.c
@@ -1017,6 +1017,7 @@ meta_monitor_config_manager_create_for_switch_config (MetaMonitorConfigManager
                                                       MetaMonitorSwitchConfigType  config_type)
 {
   MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager = config_manager->monitor_manager;
+  MetaMonitorsConfig *config;
 
   if (!meta_monitor_manager_can_switch_config (monitor_manager))
     return NULL;
@@ -1024,18 +1025,27 @@ meta_monitor_config_manager_create_for_switch_config (MetaMonitorConfigManager
   switch (config_type)
     {
     case META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_ALL_MIRROR:
-      return create_for_switch_config_all_mirror (config_manager);
-    case META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_ALL_LINEAR:
-      return meta_monitor_config_manager_create_linear (config_manager);
-    case META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_EXTERNAL:
-      return create_for_switch_config_external (config_manager);
-    case META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_BUILTIN:
-      return create_for_switch_config_builtin (config_manager);
-    case META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_UNKNOWN:
-      g_warn_if_reached ();
+      config = create_for_switch_config_all_mirror (config_manager);
       break;
+    case META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_ALL_LINEAR:
+      config = meta_monitor_config_manager_create_linear (config_manager);
+      break;
+    case META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_EXTERNAL:
+      config = create_for_switch_config_external (config_manager);
+      break;
+    case META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_BUILTIN:
+      config = create_for_switch_config_builtin (config_manager);
+      break;
+    case META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_UNKNOWN:
+    default:
+      g_warn_if_reached ();
+      return NULL;
     }
-  return NULL;
+
+  if (config)
+    meta_monitors_config_set_switch_config (config, config_type);
+
+  return config;
 }
 
 void
@@ -1227,6 +1237,19 @@ meta_monitors_config_key_equal (gconstpointer data_a,
   return TRUE;
 }
 
+MetaMonitorSwitchConfigType
+meta_monitors_config_get_switch_config (MetaMonitorsConfig *config)
+{
+  return config->switch_config;
+}
+
+void
+meta_monitors_config_set_switch_config (MetaMonitorsConfig          *config,
+                                        MetaMonitorSwitchConfigType  switch_config)
+{
+  config->switch_config = switch_config;
+}
+
 MetaMonitorsConfig *
 meta_monitors_config_new_full (GList                        *logical_monitor_configs,
                                GList                        *disabled_monitor_specs,
@@ -1242,6 +1265,7 @@ meta_monitors_config_new_full (GList                        *logical_monitor_con
                                               disabled_monitor_specs);
   config->layout_mode = layout_mode;
   config->flags = flags;
+  config->switch_config = META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_UNKNOWN;
 
   return config;
 }
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.h b/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.h
index 269d8e1b7..900707446 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-config-manager.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ struct _MetaMonitorsConfig
   MetaMonitorsConfigFlag flags;
 
   MetaLogicalMonitorLayoutMode layout_mode;
+
+  MetaMonitorSwitchConfigType switch_config;
 };
 
 #define META_TYPE_MONITORS_CONFIG (meta_monitors_config_get_type ())
@@ -124,6 +126,11 @@ MetaMonitorsConfig * meta_monitors_config_new (MetaMonitorManager           *mon
                                                MetaLogicalMonitorLayoutMode  layout_mode,
                                                MetaMonitorsConfigFlag        flags);
 
+MetaMonitorSwitchConfigType meta_monitors_config_get_switch_config (MetaMonitorsConfig *config);
+
+void meta_monitors_config_set_switch_config (MetaMonitorsConfig          *config,
+                                             MetaMonitorSwitchConfigType  switch_config);
+
 unsigned int meta_monitors_config_key_hash (gconstpointer config_key);
 
 gboolean meta_monitors_config_key_equal (gconstpointer config_key_a,
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
index 3850dd0b9..baed7521d 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
@@ -561,7 +561,9 @@ meta_monitor_manager_ensure_configured (MetaMonitorManager *manager)
       g_clear_object (&config);
     }
 
-  config = meta_monitor_config_manager_create_linear (manager->config_manager);
+  config =
+    meta_monitor_config_manager_create_for_switch_config (manager->config_manager,
+                                                          META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_ALL_LINEAR);
   if (config)
     {
       if (!meta_monitor_manager_apply_monitors_config (manager,
@@ -2621,8 +2623,6 @@ meta_monitor_manager_read_current_state (MetaMonitorManager *manager)
 static void
 meta_monitor_manager_notify_monitors_changed (MetaMonitorManager *manager)
 {
-  manager->current_switch_config = META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_UNKNOWN;
-
   meta_backend_monitors_changed (manager->backend);
 
   g_signal_emit (manager, signals[MONITORS_CHANGED_INTERNAL], 0);
@@ -2679,10 +2679,17 @@ meta_monitor_manager_update_logical_state (MetaMonitorManager *manager,
                                            MetaMonitorsConfig *config)
 {
   if (config)
-    manager->layout_mode = config->layout_mode;
+    {
+      manager->layout_mode = config->layout_mode;
+      manager->current_switch_config =
+        meta_monitors_config_get_switch_config (config);
+    }
   else
-    manager->layout_mode =
-      meta_monitor_manager_get_default_layout_mode (manager);
+    {
+      manager->layout_mode =
+        meta_monitor_manager_get_default_layout_mode (manager);
+      manager->current_switch_config = META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_UNKNOWN;
+    }
 
   meta_monitor_manager_rebuild_logical_monitors (manager, config);
 }
@@ -2724,6 +2731,12 @@ void
 meta_monitor_manager_update_logical_state_derived (MetaMonitorManager *manager,
                                                    MetaMonitorsConfig *config)
 {
+  if (config)
+    manager->current_switch_config =
+      meta_monitors_config_get_switch_config (config);
+  else
+    manager->current_switch_config = META_MONITOR_SWITCH_CONFIG_UNKNOWN;
+
   manager->layout_mode = META_LOGICAL_MONITOR_LAYOUT_MODE_PHYSICAL;
 
   meta_monitor_manager_rebuild_logical_monitors_derived (manager, config);