diff --git a/source/blender/editors/render/render_internal.c b/source/blender/editors/render/render_internal.c
index 3be890f2c36..8e410a3abbb 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/render/render_internal.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/render/render_internal.c
@@ -873,6 +873,8 @@ static int screen_render_invoke(bContext *C, wmOperator *op, const wmEvent *even
 	 * This is a problem for animation rendering since you cannot abort them.
 	 * This also does not open an image editor space. */
 	if (RE_engine_is_opengl(re_type)) {
+		/* ensure at least 1 area shows result */
+		render_view_open(C, event->x, event->y, op->reports);
 		return screen_render_exec(C, op);
 	}