diff --git a/src/Dock.Model/FactoryBase.cs b/src/Dock.Model/FactoryBase.cs
index 4673e1dd7..9ab427893 100644
--- a/src/Dock.Model/FactoryBase.cs
+++ b/src/Dock.Model/FactoryBase.cs
@@ -404,12 +404,17 @@ public virtual void SplitToDock(IDock dock, IDockable dockable, DockOperation op
 
                         // Fallback to the original behavior when optimization is not applicable
                         var layout = CreateSplitLayout(dock, dockable, operation);
+                        var wasDefaultDockable = ownerDock.DefaultDockable == dock;
                         RemoveVisibleDockableAt(ownerDock, index);
                         OnDockableRemoved(dockable);
                         OnDockableUndocked(dockable, operation);
                         InsertVisibleDockable(ownerDock, index, layout);
                         OnDockableAdded(dockable);
                         ownerDock.ActiveDockable = layout;
+                        if (wasDefaultDockable)
+                        {
+                            ownerDock.DefaultDockable = layout;
+                        }
                         InitDockable(layout, ownerDock);
                         OnDockableDocked(dockable, operation);
                     }
diff --git a/tests/Dock.Avalonia.HeadlessTests/FactorySplitTests.cs b/tests/Dock.Avalonia.HeadlessTests/FactorySplitTests.cs
index 2e69f74c2..cd0c73d3f 100644
--- a/tests/Dock.Avalonia.HeadlessTests/FactorySplitTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Dock.Avalonia.HeadlessTests/FactorySplitTests.cs
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ public void SplitToDock_Right_Replaces_Dock_With_Layout()
         root.Factory = factory;
         var dock = new ProportionalDock { VisibleDockables = factory.CreateList<IDockable>() };
         factory.AddDockable(root, dock);
+        root.ActiveDockable = dock;
+        root.DefaultDockable = dock;
         var doc = new Document();
 
         factory.SplitToDock(dock, doc, DockOperation.Right);
@@ -73,6 +75,8 @@ public void SplitToDock_Right_Replaces_Dock_With_Layout()
         var layout = Assert.IsType<ProportionalDock>(root.VisibleDockables![0]);
         Assert.Equal(Orientation.Horizontal, layout.Orientation);
         Assert.Equal(3, layout.VisibleDockables!.Count);
+        Assert.Same(layout, root.ActiveDockable);
+        Assert.Same(layout, root.DefaultDockable);
     }
 
     [AvaloniaFact]