diff --git a/src/firefly/js/visualize/ImagePlotCntlr.js b/src/firefly/js/visualize/ImagePlotCntlr.js
index dd82ef12f9..8202373fff 100644
--- a/src/firefly/js/visualize/ImagePlotCntlr.js
+++ b/src/firefly/js/visualize/ImagePlotCntlr.js
@@ -892,11 +892,11 @@ function restoreDefaultsActionCreator(rawAction) {
                     if (def.threeColor) {
                         dispatchPlotImage({plotId:pv.plotId,
                                            viewerId, wpRequest:[def.redReq,def.greenReq,def.blueReq],
-                                           threeColor:true,
+                                           threeColor:true, setNewPlotAsActive:false,
                                            useContextModifications:false});
                     }
                     else {
-                        dispatchPlotImage({plotId:pv.plotId, wpRequest:def.wpRequest,
+                        dispatchPlotImage({plotId:pv.plotId, wpRequest:def.wpRequest, setNewPlotAsActive:false,
                                            viewerId, useContextModifications:false});
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/src/firefly/js/visualize/reducer/HandlePlotCreation.js b/src/firefly/js/visualize/reducer/HandlePlotCreation.js
index f1397c211f..298960bcdf 100644
--- a/src/firefly/js/visualize/reducer/HandlePlotCreation.js
+++ b/src/firefly/js/visualize/reducer/HandlePlotCreation.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export function reducer(state, action) {
     let plotViewAry;
     let plotGroupAry;
     let plotRequestDefaults;
+    const {setNewPlotAsActive=true}= action.payload;
     switch (action.type) {
         case Cntlr.PLOT_IMAGE_START  :
             plotRequestDefaults= updateDefaults(state.plotRequestDefaults,action);
@@ -40,13 +41,14 @@ export function reducer(state, action) {
                 if (plotViewAry) retState.plotViewAry= plotViewAry;
                 if (plotGroupAry) retState.plotGroupAry= plotGroupAry;
                 if (plotRequestDefaults) retState.plotRequestDefaults= plotRequestDefaults;
+                if (setNewPlotAsActive) retState.activePlotId= action.payload.plotId;
             }
             break;
         case Cntlr.PLOT_IMAGE_FAIL  :
             retState= plotFail(state,action);
             break;
         case Cntlr.PLOT_IMAGE  :
-            retState= addPlot(state,action, action.payload.setNewPlotAsActive, true);
+            retState= addPlot(state,action, action.payload.setNewPlotAsActive, setNewPlotAsActive);
             // todo: also process adding to history
             break;
 
diff --git a/src/firefly/js/visualize/task/PlotImageTask.js b/src/firefly/js/visualize/task/PlotImageTask.js
index 85286b9ca8..e788aec0bb 100644
--- a/src/firefly/js/visualize/task/PlotImageTask.js
+++ b/src/firefly/js/visualize/task/PlotImageTask.js
@@ -130,14 +130,18 @@ function makePlotImageAction(rawAction) {
             payload= makeSinglePlotPayload(vr, rawAction.payload, requestKey);
         }
         else {
+            const {viewerId=DEFAULT_FITS_VIEWER_ID, attributes,
+                   setNewPlotAsActive= true, pvOptions= {},
+                   addToHistory= false,useContextModifications= true}= rawAction.Payload;
             payload= {
                 wpRequestAry:ensureWPR(wpRequestAry),
-                viewerId:rawAction.payload.viewerId,
-                attributes:rawAction.payload.attributes,
-                pvOptions: rawAction.payload.pvOptions,
+                viewerId,
+                attributes,
+                pvOptions,
+                setNewPlotAsActive,
                 threeColor:false,
-                addToHistory:false,
-                useContextModifications:true,
+                addToHistory,
+                useContextModifications,
                 groupLocked:true,
                 requestKey
             };