diff --git a/lib/scripts/media.js b/lib/scripts/media.js
index 7f5514f56075f6ddab35c8539c1d9f063f068ee0..267e64a76cdf5895ddcf8b43544d5ff6589a47a9 100644
--- a/lib/scripts/media.js
+++ b/lib/scripts/media.js
@@ -371,6 +371,10 @@ var dw_mediamanager = {
         if (typeof new_val === 'undefined') {
             new_val = jQuery('form.options li.' + opt[1] + ' input')
                         .filter(':checked').val();
+            // if new_val is still undefined (because form.options is not in active tab), set to most spacious option
+            if (typeof new_val === 'undefined') {
+                new_val = 'thumbs';
+            }
         }
 
         if (new_val !== dw_mediamanager.view_opts[opt[0]]) {