diff --git a/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/3d_cache_dialogs.cpp b/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/3d_cache_dialogs.cpp
index 37398660b0..f9ebd5816b 100644
--- a/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/3d_cache_dialogs.cpp
+++ b/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/3d_cache_dialogs.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,22 @@
 bool S3D::Select3DModel( wxWindow* aParent, S3D_CACHE* aCache,
     wxString& prevModelSelectDir, int& prevModelWildcard, S3D_INFO* aModel )
 {
+    if( NULL == aModel )
+        return false;
+
+    // set the default values to ensure reasonable settings
+    // even if the user cancels the operation
+    aModel->scale.x = 1.0;
+    aModel->scale.y = 1.0;
+    aModel->scale.z = 1.0;
+
+    aModel->rotation.x = 0.0;
+    aModel->rotation.y = 0.0;
+    aModel->rotation.z = 0.0;
+
+    aModel->offset = aModel->rotation;
+    aModel->filename.empty();
+
     DLG_SEL_3DMODEL* dm = new DLG_SEL_3DMODEL( aParent, aCache,
         prevModelSelectDir, prevModelWildcard );
 
diff --git a/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/dialog_select_3dmodel.cpp b/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/dialog_select_3dmodel.cpp
index 33ec1714bf..9915564064 100644
--- a/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/dialog_select_3dmodel.cpp
+++ b/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/dialog_select_3dmodel.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@ static wxWindow* mkPreviewPanel( wxWindow* aParent )
     pp->SetModelManager( mm );
     pp->SetFileSelectorDlg( fm );
 
+    // ensure reasonable defaults when the dialog starts
+    S3D_INFO mdat;
+    mdat.scale.x = 1.0;
+    mdat.scale.y = 1.0;
+    mdat.scale.z = 1.0;
+    pp->SetModelData( &mdat );
+
     return (wxWindow*)pp;
 }
 
diff --git a/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/panel_prev_model.cpp b/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/panel_prev_model.cpp
index 4a14a2e18d..84bc274d23 100644
--- a/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/panel_prev_model.cpp
+++ b/3d-viewer/3d_cache/dialogs/panel_prev_model.cpp
@@ -503,17 +503,17 @@ void PANEL_PREV_3D::GetModelData( S3D_INFO* aModel )
 
 void PANEL_PREV_3D::SetModelData( S3D_INFO const* aModel )
 {
-    xscale->ChangeValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->scale.x ) );
-    yscale->ChangeValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->scale.y ) );
-    zscale->ChangeValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->scale.z ) );
+    xscale->SetValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->scale.x ) );
+    yscale->SetValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->scale.y ) );
+    zscale->SetValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->scale.z ) );
 
-    xrot->ChangeValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->rotation.x ) );
-    yrot->ChangeValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->rotation.y ) );
-    zrot->ChangeValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->rotation.z ) );
+    xrot->SetValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->rotation.x ) );
+    yrot->SetValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->rotation.y ) );
+    zrot->SetValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->rotation.z ) );
 
-    xoff->ChangeValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->offset.x ) );
-    yoff->ChangeValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->offset.y ) );
-    zoff->ChangeValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->offset.z ) );
+    xoff->SetValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->offset.x ) );
+    yoff->SetValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->offset.y ) );
+    zoff->SetValue( wxString::FromDouble( aModel->offset.z ) );
 
     modelInfo = *aModel;
     UpdateModelName( aModel->filename );
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_edit_module_for_BoardEditor.cpp b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_edit_module_for_BoardEditor.cpp
index 9096a0620d..bf38f54a96 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_edit_module_for_BoardEditor.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_edit_module_for_BoardEditor.cpp
@@ -391,6 +391,18 @@ void DIALOG_MODULE_BOARD_EDITOR::Transfert3DValuesToDisplay(
         params.rotation.y = aStruct3DSource->m_MatRotation.y;
         params.rotation.z = aStruct3DSource->m_MatRotation.z;
     }
+    else
+    {
+        params.scale.x = 1.0;
+        params.scale.y = 1.0;
+        params.scale.z = 1.0;
+
+        params.offset.x = 0.0;
+        params.offset.y = 0.0;
+        params.offset.z = 0.0;
+
+        params.rotation = params.offset;
+    }
 
     m_PreviewPane->SetModelData( &params );
     return;
@@ -542,9 +554,6 @@ void DIALOG_MODULE_BOARD_EDITOR::BrowseAndAdd3DShapeFile()
 {
     PROJECT& prj = Prj();
     S3D_INFO model;
-    model.scale.x = 1.0;
-    model.scale.y = 1.0;
-    model.scale.z = 1.0;
 
     wxString initialpath = prj.GetRString( PROJECT::VIEWER_3D_PATH );
     wxString sidx = prj.GetRString( PROJECT::VIEWER_3D_FILTER_INDEX );
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_edit_module_for_Modedit.cpp b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_edit_module_for_Modedit.cpp
index 1ea5887d1e..37b07ee88e 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_edit_module_for_Modedit.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_edit_module_for_Modedit.cpp
@@ -261,6 +261,18 @@ void DIALOG_MODULE_MODULE_EDITOR::Transfert3DValuesToDisplay( S3D_MASTER * aStru
         params.rotation.y = aStruct3DSource->m_MatRotation.y;
         params.rotation.z = aStruct3DSource->m_MatRotation.z;
     }
+    else
+    {
+        params.scale.x = 1.0;
+        params.scale.y = 1.0;
+        params.scale.z = 1.0;
+
+        params.offset.x = 0.0;
+        params.offset.y = 0.0;
+        params.offset.z = 0.0;
+
+        params.rotation = params.offset;
+    }
 
     m_PreviewPane->SetModelData( &params );
     return;
@@ -409,9 +421,6 @@ void DIALOG_MODULE_MODULE_EDITOR::BrowseAndAdd3DShapeFile()
 {
     PROJECT&        prj = Prj();
     S3D_INFO model;
-    model.scale.x = 1.0;
-    model.scale.y = 1.0;
-    model.scale.z = 1.0;
 
     wxString initialpath = prj.GetRString( PROJECT::VIEWER_3D_PATH );
     wxString sidx = prj.GetRString( PROJECT::VIEWER_3D_FILTER_INDEX );