diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.cpp b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.cpp
index f00c3496caae..ab5898b54031 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ bool QgsWmsSettings::parseUri( const QString &uriString )
     mInterpretation = uri.param( QStringLiteral( "interpretation" ) );
   }
 
+  mTiled = false;
   if ( uri.param( QStringLiteral( "type" ) ) == QLatin1String( "xyz" ) ||
        uri.param( QStringLiteral( "type" ) ) == QLatin1String( "mbtiles" ) )
   {
@@ -89,8 +90,7 @@ bool QgsWmsSettings::parseUri( const QString &uriString )
 
     return true;
   }
-
-  if ( uri.param( QStringLiteral( "type" ) ) == QLatin1String( "wmst" ) )
+  else if ( uri.param( QStringLiteral( "type" ) ) == QLatin1String( "wmst" ) )
   {
     mIsTemporal = true;
     mTemporalExtent = uri.param( QStringLiteral( "timeDimensionExtent" ) );
@@ -161,8 +161,11 @@ bool QgsWmsSettings::parseUri( const QString &uriString )
       mIsBiTemporal = true;
     }
   }
+  else if ( uri.param( QStringLiteral( "type" ) ) == QLatin1String( "wmts" ) )
+  {
+    mTiled = true;
+  }
 
-  mTiled = false;
   mTileDimensionValues.clear();
 
   mHttpUri = uri.param( QStringLiteral( "url" ) );
@@ -1852,6 +1855,8 @@ void QgsWmsCapabilities::parseWMTSContents( const QDomElement &element )
     }
 
     mTileMatrixSets.insert( set.identifier, set );
+    if ( mFirstTileMatrixSetId.isEmpty() )
+      mFirstTileMatrixSetId = set.identifier;
   }
 
   //
diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h
index f56a5126d103..873e9e61b99a 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h
@@ -1049,6 +1049,12 @@ class QgsWmsCapabilities
      */
     QHash<QString, QgsWmtsTileMatrixSet> mTileMatrixSets;
 
+    /**
+     * ID of the first tile matrix returned in the capabilities, to be used as the default
+     * if no specific tile matrix is specified.
+     */
+    QString mFirstTileMatrixSetId;
+
     //temporarily caches invert axis setting for each crs
     QHash<QString, bool> mCrsInvertAxis;
 
diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp
index d94074e1e90e..8dafeaf3e109 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp
@@ -590,6 +590,22 @@ bool QgsWmsProvider::setImageCrs( QString const &crs )
     }
 
     mNativeResolutions.clear();
+
+    if ( mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId.isEmpty() && !mCaps.mFirstTileMatrixSetId.isEmpty() )
+    {
+      // if no explicit tile matrix set specified, use first listed
+      mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId = mCaps.mFirstTileMatrixSetId;
+      for ( int i = 0; i < mCaps.mTileLayersSupported.size(); i++ )
+      {
+        QgsWmtsTileLayer *tl = &mCaps.mTileLayersSupported[i];
+        if ( tl->identifier != mSettings.mActiveSubLayers[0] )
+          continue;
+
+        mTileLayer = tl;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+
     if ( mCaps.mTileMatrixSets.contains( mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId ) )
     {
       mTileMatrixSet = &mCaps.mTileMatrixSets[ mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId ];
diff --git a/tests/src/providers/testqgswmsprovider.cpp b/tests/src/providers/testqgswmsprovider.cpp
index eaf73d97b45e..23826264ebdd 100644
--- a/tests/src/providers/testqgswmsprovider.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/providers/testqgswmsprovider.cpp
@@ -157,12 +157,32 @@ class TestQgsWmsProvider: public QgsTest
       // explicitly state crs and format
       {
         QgsWmsProvider provider( "contextualWMSLegend=0&crs=EPSG:4326&dpiMode=7&featureCount=10&format=image/jpg&layers=CountryGroup&styles=default&tileMatrixSet=standard&tilePixelRatio=0&url=http://localhost:8380/mapserv?xxx", QgsDataProvider::ProviderOptions(), &cap );
+        QVERIFY( provider.mSettings.mTiled );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId, QStringLiteral( "standard" ) );
         QCOMPARE( provider.crs().authid(), QStringLiteral( "EPSG:4326" ) );
         QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mImageMimeType, QStringLiteral( "image/jpg" ) );
       }
       // no crs or format specified, should use tile matrix crs
       {
         QgsWmsProvider provider( "contextualWMSLegend=0&dpiMode=7&featureCount=10&layers=CountryGroup&styles=default&tileMatrixSet=standard&tilePixelRatio=0&url=http://localhost:8380/mapserv?xxx", QgsDataProvider::ProviderOptions(), &cap );
+        QVERIFY( provider.mSettings.mTiled );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId, QStringLiteral( "standard" ) );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.crs().authid(), QStringLiteral( "EPSG:3857" ) );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mImageMimeType, QStringLiteral( "image/png" ) );
+      }
+      // no tileMatrixSet specified, should use first listed
+      {
+        QgsWmsProvider provider( "layers=CountryGroup&styles=default&tileDimensions=&url=http://localhost:8380/mapserv?xxx", QgsDataProvider::ProviderOptions(), &cap );
+        QVERIFY( provider.mSettings.mTiled );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId, QStringLiteral( "standard" ) );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.crs().authid(), QStringLiteral( "EPSG:3857" ) );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mImageMimeType, QStringLiteral( "image/png" ) );
+      }
+      // no tileMatrixSet specified, using type=wmts to request wmts
+      {
+        QgsWmsProvider provider( "layers=CountryGroup&styles=default&type=wmts&url=http://localhost:8380/mapserv?xxx", QgsDataProvider::ProviderOptions(), &cap );
+        QVERIFY( provider.mSettings.mTiled );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId, QStringLiteral( "standard" ) );
         QCOMPARE( provider.crs().authid(), QStringLiteral( "EPSG:3857" ) );
         QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mImageMimeType, QStringLiteral( "image/png" ) );
       }