diff --git a/hyprtester/src/tests/main/workspaces.cpp b/hyprtester/src/tests/main/workspaces.cpp
index fa29338c..de724af6 100644
--- a/hyprtester/src/tests/main/workspaces.cpp
+++ b/hyprtester/src/tests/main/workspaces.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,16 @@ static bool test() {
     NLog::log("{}Switching to workspace 1", Colors::YELLOW);
     OK(getFromSocket("/dispatch workspace 1"));
 
+    NLog::log("{}Checking persistent no-mon", Colors::YELLOW);
+    OK(getFromSocket("r/keyword workspace 966,persistent:1"));
+
+    {
+        auto str = getFromSocket("/workspaces");
+        EXPECT_CONTAINS(str, "workspace ID 966 (966)");
+    }
+
+    OK(getFromSocket("/reload"));
+
     NLog::log("{}Spawning kittyProc on ws 1", Colors::YELLOW);
     auto kittyProcA = Tests::spawnKitty();
 
diff --git a/src/Compositor.cpp b/src/Compositor.cpp
index ce549459..5ea88b11 100644
--- a/src/Compositor.cpp
+++ b/src/Compositor.cpp
@@ -3145,7 +3145,7 @@ void CCompositor::ensurePersistentWorkspacesPresent(const std::vector<SWorkspace
                 continue;
         }
 
-        const auto PMONITOR = getMonitorFromString(rule.monitor);
+        auto PMONITOR = getMonitorFromString(rule.monitor);
 
         if (!rule.monitor.empty() && !PMONITOR)
             continue; // don't do anything yet, as the monitor is not yet present.
@@ -3165,8 +3165,11 @@ void CCompositor::ensurePersistentWorkspacesPresent(const std::vector<SWorkspace
                 continue;
             }
             PWORKSPACE = getWorkspaceByID(id);
+            if (!PMONITOR)
+                PMONITOR = m_lastMonitor.lock();
+
             if (!PWORKSPACE)
-                PWORKSPACE = createNewWorkspace(id, PMONITOR ? PMONITOR->m_id : m_lastMonitor->m_id, wsname, false);
+                PWORKSPACE = createNewWorkspace(id, PMONITOR->m_id, wsname, false);
         }
 
         if (!PMONITOR) {