diff --git a/vivisect/qt/main.py b/vivisect/qt/main.py
index 836d19008..a108c6a55 100644
--- a/vivisect/qt/main.py
+++ b/vivisect/qt/main.py
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ def __init__(self, vw):
         self.vqAddMenuField('&View.&Layouts.&Set Default', self._menuViewLayoutsSetDefault)
         self.vqAddMenuField('&View.&Layouts.&Save', self._menuViewLayoutsSave)
         self.vqAddMenuField('&View.&Layouts.&Load', self._menuViewLayoutsLoad)
+        self.vqAddMenuField('&View.&Layouts.Load &Base Default', self._menuViewLayoutsLoadBase)
 
         self.vqAddMenuField('&Share.Share Workspace', self._menuShareWorkspace)
         self.vqAddMenuField('&Share.Connect to Shared Workspace', self._menuShareConnect)
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ def __init__(self, vw):
             self.vw.vprint('\n')
             #self.vw.vprint('
')
             self.vw.vprint('Looks like you have an empty layout!')
-            self.vw.vprint('Use View->Layouts->Load and select vivisect/qt/default.lyt')
+            self.vw.vprint('Use View->Layouts->Load Base Default')
 
         fname = os.path.basename(self.vw.getMeta('StorageName', 'Unknown'))
         self.setWindowTitle('Vivisect: %s' % fname)
@@ -577,6 +578,12 @@ def _menuFileSaveAs(self):
     def _menuFileSaveServer(self):
         viv_q_remote.saveToServer(self.vw, parent=self)
 
+    def _menuViewLayoutsLoadBase(self):
+        dirname = os.path.dirname(viv_q_views.__file__) 
+        fname = os.sep.join([dirname, "default.lyt"])
+        settings = QtCore.QSettings(fname, QtCore.QSettings.IniFormat)
+        self.vqRestoreGuiSettings(settings)
+
     def _menuViewLayoutsLoad(self):
         fname = getOpenFileName(self, 'Load Layout')
         if fname is None: