diff --git a/ilastik/applets/layerViewer/layerViewerGui.py b/ilastik/applets/layerViewer/layerViewerGui.py
index ff2a2c76b..4ab5f5d43 100644
--- a/ilastik/applets/layerViewer/layerViewerGui.py
+++ b/ilastik/applets/layerViewer/layerViewerGui.py
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ def __init__(
 
         self._stopped = False
         self._initialized = False
+        self._need_update = True
         self.__cleanup_fns = []
 
         self.threadRouter = ThreadRouter(self)  # For using @threadRouted
@@ -211,7 +212,6 @@ def __init__(
 
     def _after_init(self):
         self._initialized = True
-        self.updateAllLayers()
 
     def setNeedUpdate(self, slot=None):
         self._need_update = True
diff --git a/ilastik/workflows/carving/carvingGui.py b/ilastik/workflows/carving/carvingGui.py
index 052f11e66..ec1d4ed44 100644
--- a/ilastik/workflows/carving/carvingGui.py
+++ b/ilastik/workflows/carving/carvingGui.py
@@ -613,6 +613,8 @@ def _update_rendering(self):
     def _update_colors(self):
         """Update colors of objects in 3D viewport"""
         op = self.topLevelOperatorView
+        if not self._shownObjects3D.items():
+            return
         ctable = self._doneSegmentationLayer.colorTable
 
         for name, label in self._shownObjects3D.items():