diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTransform.cpp b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTransform.cpp
index 4e524ec24a..3f760e4cc8 100755
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTransform.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTransform.cpp
@@ -133,11 +133,11 @@ void GLBackend::updateTransform() {
     }
 
     if (_transform._invalidModel || _transform._invalidView) {
-        if (_transform._lastMode != GL_MODELVIEW) {
-            glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW);
-            _transform._lastMode = GL_MODELVIEW;
-        }
         if (!_transform._model.isIdentity()) {
+            if (_transform._lastMode != GL_MODELVIEW) {
+                glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW);
+                _transform._lastMode = GL_MODELVIEW;
+            }
             Transform::Mat4 modelView;
             if (!_transform._view.isIdentity()) {
                 Transform mvx;
@@ -147,12 +147,19 @@ void GLBackend::updateTransform() {
                 _transform._model.getMatrix(modelView);
             }
             glLoadMatrixf(reinterpret_cast< const GLfloat* >(&modelView));
-        } else if (!_transform._view.isIdentity()) {
-            Transform::Mat4 modelView;
-            _transform._view.getInverseMatrix(modelView);
-            glLoadMatrixf(reinterpret_cast< const GLfloat* >(&modelView));
         } else {
-            glLoadIdentity();
+            if (!_transform._view.isIdentity()) {
+                if (_transform._lastMode != GL_MODELVIEW) {
+                    glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW);
+                    _transform._lastMode = GL_MODELVIEW;
+                }
+                Transform::Mat4 modelView;
+                _transform._view.getInverseMatrix(modelView);
+                glLoadMatrixf(reinterpret_cast< const GLfloat* >(&modelView));
+            } else {
+                // TODO: eventually do something about the matrix when neither view nor model is specified?
+                // glLoadIdentity();
+            }
         }
         (void) CHECK_GL_ERROR();
     }