diff --git a/src/utils/webrtc/MediaDevicesManager.js b/src/utils/webrtc/MediaDevicesManager.js
index ef3b3917b28..4c8ea756afc 100644
--- a/src/utils/webrtc/MediaDevicesManager.js
+++ b/src/utils/webrtc/MediaDevicesManager.js
@@ -205,14 +205,22 @@ MediaDevicesManager.prototype = {
 				this._addDevice(addedDevice)
 			})
 
+			this._populatePreferences(devices)
+
 			// Selecting preferred device in case it was removed/unplugged, or it is a first initialization after reload,
 			// or we add/plug preferred device and overwriting automatic selection
+			// If the preference list is empty the default device falls back to
+			// the first device of that kind found. This can happen, for
+			// example, when no permissions were given yet. In that case,
+			// according to the spec, a single device of each kind (if at least
+			// one device of that kind is available) with an empty deviceId is
+			// returned, which will not be registered in the preference list.
 			if (this.attributes.audioInputId === undefined || this.attributes.audioInputId === previousFirstAvailableAudioInputId) {
-				this.attributes.audioInputId = getFirstAvailableMediaDevice(devices, this._preferenceAudioInputList)
+				this.attributes.audioInputId = getFirstAvailableMediaDevice(devices, this._preferenceAudioInputList) || devices.find(device => device.kind === 'audioinput')?.deviceId
 				console.debug(listMediaDevices(this.attributes, this._preferenceAudioInputList, this._preferenceVideoInputList))
 			}
 			if (this.attributes.videoInputId === undefined || this.attributes.videoInputId === previousFirstAvailableVideoInputId) {
-				this.attributes.videoInputId = getFirstAvailableMediaDevice(devices, this._preferenceVideoInputList)
+				this.attributes.videoInputId = getFirstAvailableMediaDevice(devices, this._preferenceVideoInputList) || devices.find(device => device.kind === 'videoinput')?.deviceId
 				console.debug(listMediaDevices(this.attributes, this._preferenceAudioInputList, this._preferenceVideoInputList))
 			}
 
@@ -226,8 +234,6 @@ MediaDevicesManager.prototype = {
 			}
 
 			this._pendingEnumerateDevicesPromise = null
-
-			this._populatePreferences(devices)
 		}).catch(function(error) {
 			console.error('Could not update known media devices: ' + error.name + ': ' + error.message)