diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
index 28cc457e7..bd02c55bb 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ ensure_hdr_settings (MetaMonitorManager *manager)
                      meta_monitor_get_display_name (monitor), error->message);
 
           meta_monitor_set_color_space (monitor,
-                                        META_OUTPUT_COLORSPACE_UNKNOWN,
+                                        META_OUTPUT_COLORSPACE_DEFAULT,
                                         NULL);
 
           continue;
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ ensure_hdr_settings (MetaMonitorManager *manager)
                      meta_monitor_get_display_name (monitor), error->message);
 
           meta_monitor_set_color_space (monitor,
-                                        META_OUTPUT_COLORSPACE_UNKNOWN,
+                                        META_OUTPUT_COLORSPACE_DEFAULT,
                                         NULL);
           meta_monitor_set_hdr_metadata (monitor, &(MetaOutputHdrMetadata) {
                                            .active = FALSE,
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-output.c b/src/backends/meta-output.c
index b81608a0f..efa279aa3 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-output.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-output.c
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ meta_output_init (MetaOutput *output)
   MetaOutputPrivate *priv = meta_output_get_instance_private (output);
 
   priv->backlight = -1;
-  priv->color_space = META_OUTPUT_COLORSPACE_UNKNOWN;
+  priv->color_space = META_OUTPUT_COLORSPACE_DEFAULT;
   priv->hdr_metadata.active = FALSE;
 }