diff --git a/preferences.xml b/preferences.xml
index 0b644191d..bf4db1ec6 100644
--- a/preferences.xml
+++ b/preferences.xml
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ Started September 2000 by David Megginson, david@megginson.com
       <season type="string" preserve="y">summer</season>
     </startup>
     <rendering>
+      <initialized type="bool">false</initialized>
       <materials-file>Materials/regions/materials.xml</materials-file>
       <rembrandt>
         <enabled type="bool">false</enabled>