diff --git a/src/plugins/displayLayout/DisplayLayoutType.js b/src/plugins/displayLayout/DisplayLayoutType.js
index b0d28126bd..aad2b5b2ae 100644
--- a/src/plugins/displayLayout/DisplayLayoutType.js
+++ b/src/plugins/displayLayout/DisplayLayoutType.js
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ export default function DisplayLayoutType() {
       domainObject.composition = [];
       domainObject.configuration = {
         items: [],
-        layoutGrid: [10, 10]
+        layoutGrid: [10, 10],
+        objectStyles: {}
       };
     },
     form: [
diff --git a/src/plugins/displayLayout/components/DisplayLayout.vue b/src/plugins/displayLayout/components/DisplayLayout.vue
index fd5bdb3a80..7175e568d5 100644
--- a/src/plugins/displayLayout/components/DisplayLayout.vue
+++ b/src/plugins/displayLayout/components/DisplayLayout.vue
@@ -226,6 +226,11 @@ export default {
     this.composition.load();
     this.gridDimensions = [this.$el.offsetWidth, this.$el.scrollHeight];
 
+    // Initialize objectStyles if it doesn't exist for older versions
+    if (!this.domainObject.configuration.objectStyles) {
+      this.domainObject.configuration.objectStyles = {};
+    }
+
     this.unObserveItems = this.openmct.objects.observe(
       this.domainObject,
       'configuration.items',