diff --git a/Applications/DataExplorer/main.cpp b/Applications/DataExplorer/main.cpp
index ee99061ff729464e88ebbdc472a92a179bc9a203..006000283bb94b187a51eb34adabf9ba4968fa2b 100644
--- a/Applications/DataExplorer/main.cpp
+++ b/Applications/DataExplorer/main.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #include "mainwindow.h"
 
 #include <QApplication>
+#include <QSurfaceFormat>
+#include <QVTKOpenGLWidget.h>
 #include <logog/include/logog.hpp>
 #include <memory>
 
@@ -23,6 +25,9 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     InitializeSdkObjects(lSdkManager, lScene);
 #endif
 
+    // needed to ensure appropriate OpenGL context is created for VTK rendering.
+    QSurfaceFormat::setDefaultFormat(QVTKOpenGLWidget::defaultFormat());
+
     auto myOutputWindow = vtkSmartPointer<VtkConsoleOutputWindow>::New();
     vtkOutputWindow::SetInstance(myOutputWindow);