diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.cpp b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.cpp
index 015f1123c03c..af415f3a4a16 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.cpp
@@ -1868,6 +1868,8 @@ void QgsWmsCapabilities::parseWMTSContents( const QDomElement &element )
     }
 
     mTileMatrixSets.insert( set.identifier, set );
+    if ( mFirstTileMatrixSetId.isEmpty() )
+      mFirstTileMatrixSetId = set.identifier;
   }
 
   //
diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h
index 2c3cc6bc9215..dadfe89bc711 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h
@@ -1051,6 +1051,12 @@ class QgsWmsCapabilities
      */
     QHash<QString, QgsWmtsTileMatrixSet> mTileMatrixSets;
 
+    /**
+     * ID of the first tile matrix returned in the capabilities, to be used as the default
+     * if no specific tile matrix is specified.
+     */
+    QString mFirstTileMatrixSetId;
+
     //temporarily caches invert axis setting for each crs
     QHash<QString, bool> mCrsInvertAxis;
 
diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp
index ffb24619601a..44cd29086498 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp
@@ -593,6 +593,22 @@ bool QgsWmsProvider::setImageCrs( QString const &crs )
     }
 
     mNativeResolutions.clear();
+
+    if ( mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId.isEmpty() && !mCaps.mFirstTileMatrixSetId.isEmpty() )
+    {
+      // if no explicit tile matrix set specified, use first listed
+      mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId = mCaps.mFirstTileMatrixSetId;
+      for ( int i = 0; i < mCaps.mTileLayersSupported.size(); i++ )
+      {
+        QgsWmtsTileLayer *tl = &mCaps.mTileLayersSupported[i];
+        if ( tl->identifier != mSettings.mActiveSubLayers[0] )
+          continue;
+
+        mTileLayer = tl;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+
     if ( mCaps.mTileMatrixSets.contains( mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId ) )
     {
       mTileMatrixSet = &mCaps.mTileMatrixSets[ mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId ];
diff --git a/tests/src/providers/testqgswmsprovider.cpp b/tests/src/providers/testqgswmsprovider.cpp
index eaf73d97b45e..830cec4d3539 100644
--- a/tests/src/providers/testqgswmsprovider.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/providers/testqgswmsprovider.cpp
@@ -157,12 +157,21 @@ class TestQgsWmsProvider: public QgsTest
       // explicitly state crs and format
       {
         QgsWmsProvider provider( "contextualWMSLegend=0&crs=EPSG:4326&dpiMode=7&featureCount=10&format=image/jpg&layers=CountryGroup&styles=default&tileMatrixSet=standard&tilePixelRatio=0&url=http://localhost:8380/mapserv?xxx", QgsDataProvider::ProviderOptions(), &cap );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId, QStringLiteral( "standard" ) );
         QCOMPARE( provider.crs().authid(), QStringLiteral( "EPSG:4326" ) );
         QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mImageMimeType, QStringLiteral( "image/jpg" ) );
       }
       // no crs or format specified, should use tile matrix crs
       {
         QgsWmsProvider provider( "contextualWMSLegend=0&dpiMode=7&featureCount=10&layers=CountryGroup&styles=default&tileMatrixSet=standard&tilePixelRatio=0&url=http://localhost:8380/mapserv?xxx", QgsDataProvider::ProviderOptions(), &cap );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId, QStringLiteral( "standard" ) );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.crs().authid(), QStringLiteral( "EPSG:3857" ) );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mImageMimeType, QStringLiteral( "image/png" ) );
+      }
+      // no tileMatrixSet specified, should use first listed
+      {
+        QgsWmsProvider provider( "layers=CountryGroup&styles=default&tileDimensions=&url=http://localhost:8380/mapserv?xxx", QgsDataProvider::ProviderOptions(), &cap );
+        QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mTileMatrixSetId, QStringLiteral( "standard" ) );
         QCOMPARE( provider.crs().authid(), QStringLiteral( "EPSG:3857" ) );
         QCOMPARE( provider.mSettings.mImageMimeType, QStringLiteral( "image/png" ) );
       }