diff --git a/src/kaleidoscope/Runtime.cpp b/src/kaleidoscope/Runtime.cpp
index 4f45f0c8..380ec63a 100644
--- a/src/kaleidoscope/Runtime.cpp
+++ b/src/kaleidoscope/Runtime.cpp
@@ -42,11 +42,7 @@ Runtime_::setup(void) {
 
   device().setup();
 
-  // Update the keymap cache, so we start with a non-empty state.
-  Layer.updateActiveLayers();
-  for (auto key_addr : KeyAddr::all()) {
-    Layer.updateLiveCompositeKeymap(key_addr);
-  }
+  Layer.setup();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/kaleidoscope/layers.cpp b/src/kaleidoscope/layers.cpp
index af283773..48053d42 100644
--- a/src/kaleidoscope/layers.cpp
+++ b/src/kaleidoscope/layers.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,17 @@ Key Layer_::live_composite_keymap_[Runtime.device().numKeys()];
 uint8_t Layer_::active_layer_keymap_[Runtime.device().numKeys()];
 Layer_::GetKeyFunction Layer_::getKey = &Layer_::getKeyFromPROGMEM;
 
+void Layer_::setup() {
+  // Explicitly set layer 0's state to 1
+  bitSet(layer_state_, 0);
+
+  // Update the keymap cache, so we start with a non-empty state.
+  Layer.updateActiveLayers();
+  for (auto key_addr : KeyAddr::all()) {
+    Layer.updateLiveCompositeKeymap(key_addr);
+  }
+}
+
 void Layer_::handleKeymapKeyswitchEvent(Key keymapEntry, uint8_t keyState) {
   if (keymapEntry.getKeyCode() >= LAYER_MOVE_OFFSET) {
     if (keyToggledOn(keyState)) {
diff --git a/src/kaleidoscope/layers.h b/src/kaleidoscope/layers.h
index 22ceb9cb..9b6175b9 100644
--- a/src/kaleidoscope/layers.h
+++ b/src/kaleidoscope/layers.h
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ class Layer_ {
  public:
   Layer_() {}
 
+  void setup();
+
   /* There are two lookup functions, because we have two caches, and different
    * parts of the firmware will want to use either this or that (or perhaps
    * both, in rare cases).