diff --git a/Utilities/Config.h b/Utilities/Config.h
index 81fbb630fa..91b300adf8 100644
--- a/Utilities/Config.h
+++ b/Utilities/Config.h
@@ -203,6 +203,11 @@ namespace cfg
 			return m_value;
 		}
 
+		void set(T value)
+		{
+			m_value = value;
+		}
+
 		void from_default() override
 		{
 			m_value = def;
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
index be15780c9c..da4757078b 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
@@ -126,6 +126,14 @@ void Emulator::Init()
 
 	// Reset defaults, cache them
 	g_cfg.from_default();
+
+	// Not all renderers are known at compile time, so set a provided default if possible
+	if (m_default_renderer == video_renderer::vulkan && !m_default_graphics_adapter.empty())
+	{
+		g_cfg.video.renderer.set(m_default_renderer);
+		g_cfg.video.vk.adapter.from_string(m_default_graphics_adapter);
+	}
+
 	g_cfg_defaults = g_cfg.to_string();
 
 	// Reload override configuration set via command line
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/System.h b/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
index eec81247ef..2661d58f56 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ u64 get_system_time();
 u64 get_guest_system_time();
 
 enum class localized_string_id;
+enum class video_renderer;
 
 enum class system_state
 {
@@ -64,6 +65,9 @@ class Emulator final
 	atomic_t<u64> m_pause_start_time{0}; // set when paused
 	atomic_t<u64> m_pause_amend_time{0}; // increased when resumed
 
+	video_renderer m_default_renderer;
+	std::string m_default_graphics_adapter;
+
 	std::string m_config_override_path;
 	std::string m_path;
 	std::string m_path_old;
@@ -218,6 +222,8 @@ public:
 	bool HasGui() const { return m_has_gui; }
 	void SetHasGui(bool has_gui) { m_has_gui = has_gui; }
 
+	void SetDefaultRenderer(video_renderer renderer) { m_default_renderer = renderer; }
+	void SetDefaultGraphicsAdapter(std::string adapter) { m_default_graphics_adapter = std::move(adapter); }
 	void SetConfigOverride(std::string path) { m_config_override_path = std::move(path); }
 
 	std::string GetFormattedTitle(double fps) const;
diff --git a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/emu_settings.cpp b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/emu_settings.cpp
index 1c38741cae..06cc6910e2 100644
--- a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/emu_settings.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/emu_settings.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ inline std::string sstr(const QVariant& _in) { return sstr(_in.toString()); }
 // Emit sorted YAML
 namespace
 {
-	static NEVER_INLINE void emitData(YAML::Emitter& out, const YAML::Node& node)
+	static NEVER_INLINE void emit_data(YAML::Emitter& out, const YAML::Node& node)
 	{
 		// TODO
 		out << node;
@@ -63,6 +63,19 @@ emu_settings::emu_settings()
 	: QObject()
 	, m_render_creator(new render_creator(this))
 {
+	if (!m_render_creator)
+	{
+		fmt::throw_exception("emu_settings::emu_settings() render_creator is null");
+	}
+
+	// Make Vulkan default setting if it is supported
+	if (m_render_creator->Vulkan.supported && !m_render_creator->Vulkan.adapters.empty())
+	{
+		const std::string adapter = sstr(m_render_creator->Vulkan.adapters.at(0));
+		cfg_log.notice("Setting the default renderer to Vulkan. Default GPU: '%s')", adapter);
+		Emu.SetDefaultRenderer(video_renderer::vulkan);
+		Emu.SetDefaultGraphicsAdapter(adapter);
+	}
 }
 
 emu_settings::~emu_settings()
@@ -149,7 +162,7 @@ void emu_settings::LoadSettings(const std::string& title_id)
 void emu_settings::SaveSettings()
 {
 	YAML::Emitter out;
-	emitData(out, m_currentSettings);
+	emit_data(out, m_currentSettings);
 
 	std::string config_name;
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/settings_dialog.cpp b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/settings_dialog.cpp
index 573c97eced..ab710f797a 100644
--- a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/settings_dialog.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/settings_dialog.cpp
@@ -289,8 +289,7 @@ settings_dialog::settings_dialog(std::shared_ptr<gui_settings> gui_settings, std
 
 	if (!r_creator)
 	{
-		cfg_log.error("settings_dialog::settings_dialog render_creator is null");
-		return;
+		fmt::throw_exception("settings_dialog::settings_dialog() render_creator is null");
 	}
 
 	r_creator->update_names(
@@ -538,15 +537,15 @@ settings_dialog::settings_dialog(std::shared_ptr<gui_settings> gui_settings, std
 			ui->antiAliasing->setCurrentText(renderer.has_msaa ? qstr(m_emu_settings->GetSetting(emu_settings_type::MSAA)) : tr("Disabled", "MSAA"));
 			ui->antiAliasing->blockSignals(false);
 
+			ui->graphicsAdapterBox->clear();
+
 			// Fill combobox with placeholder if no adapters needed
 			if (!renderer.has_adapters)
 			{
-				ui->graphicsAdapterBox->clear();
 				ui->graphicsAdapterBox->addItem(tr("Not needed for %1 renderer", "Graphics adapter").arg(text));
 				return;
 			}
 			// Fill combobox
-			ui->graphicsAdapterBox->clear();
 			for (const auto& adapter : renderer.adapters)
 			{
 				ui->graphicsAdapterBox->addItem(adapter);