diff --git a/libraries/gl/src/gl/GLHelpers.cpp b/libraries/gl/src/gl/GLHelpers.cpp
index c9de3ccd90..ffeaed4e4f 100644
--- a/libraries/gl/src/gl/GLHelpers.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gl/src/gl/GLHelpers.cpp
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@ const QSurfaceFormat& getDefaultOpenGLSurfaceFormat() {
         // Qt Quick may need a depth and stencil buffer. Always make sure these are available.
         format.setDepthBufferSize(DEFAULT_GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BITS);
         format.setStencilBufferSize(DEFAULT_GL_STENCIL_BUFFER_BITS);
-        format.setVersion(4, 5);
+        setGLFormatVersion(format);
 #ifdef DEBUG
         format.setOption(QSurfaceFormat::DebugContext);
 #endif
         format.setProfile(QSurfaceFormat::OpenGLContextProfile::CoreProfile);
+        QSurfaceFormat::setDefaultFormat(format);
     });
     return format;
 }
@@ -27,11 +28,12 @@ const QGLFormat& getDefaultGLFormat() {
     static QGLFormat glFormat;
     static std::once_flag once;
     std::call_once(once, [] {
-        glFormat.setVersion(4, 5);
+        setGLFormatVersion(glFormat);
         glFormat.setProfile(QGLFormat::CoreProfile); // Requires >=Qt-4.8.0
         glFormat.setSampleBuffers(false);
         glFormat.setDepth(false);
         glFormat.setStencil(false);
+        QGLFormat::setDefaultFormat(glFormat);
     });
     return glFormat;
 }
diff --git a/libraries/gl/src/gl/GLHelpers.h b/libraries/gl/src/gl/GLHelpers.h
index 335272d991..6e3d678d0c 100644
--- a/libraries/gl/src/gl/GLHelpers.h
+++ b/libraries/gl/src/gl/GLHelpers.h
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 class QSurfaceFormat;
 class QGLFormat;
 
+template<class F>
+void setGLFormatVersion(F& format, int major = 4, int minor = 5) { format.setVersion(major, minor); }
+
 const QSurfaceFormat& getDefaultOpenGLSurfaceFormat();
 const QGLFormat& getDefaultGLFormat();
 #endif
diff --git a/tests/gpu-test/src/main.cpp b/tests/gpu-test/src/main.cpp
index 87ce2d7622..d1cd4389a7 100644
--- a/tests/gpu-test/src/main.cpp
+++ b/tests/gpu-test/src/main.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 
 #include <gl/QOpenGLContextWrapper.h>
 #include <gl/QOpenGLDebugLoggerWrapper.h>
+#include <gl/GLHelpers.h>
 
 #include <GLMHelpers.h>
 #include <PathUtils.h>
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ public:
         // Qt Quick may need a depth and stencil buffer. Always make sure these are available.
         format.setDepthBufferSize(16);
         format.setStencilBufferSize(8);
-        format.setVersion(4, 3);
+        setGLFormatVersion(format);
         format.setProfile(QSurfaceFormat::OpenGLContextProfile::CoreProfile);
         format.setOption(QSurfaceFormat::DebugContext);
         format.setSwapInterval(0);
diff --git a/tests/render-utils/src/main.cpp b/tests/render-utils/src/main.cpp
index 6a4154c8c3..6973ca075e 100644
--- a/tests/render-utils/src/main.cpp
+++ b/tests/render-utils/src/main.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 #include <gl/QOpenGLContextWrapper.h>
 #include <gl/QOpenGLDebugLoggerWrapper.h>
+#include <gl/GLHelpers.h>
 
 #include <QDir>
 #include <QElapsedTimer>
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ public:
         // Qt Quick may need a depth and stencil buffer. Always make sure these are available.
         format.setDepthBufferSize(16);
         format.setStencilBufferSize(8);
-        format.setVersion(4, 1);
+        setGLFormatVersion(format);
         format.setProfile(QSurfaceFormat::OpenGLContextProfile::CoreProfile);
         format.setOption(QSurfaceFormat::DebugContext);