diff --git a/flutter-idea/src/io/flutter/run/daemon/DeviceSelection.java b/flutter-idea/src/io/flutter/run/daemon/DeviceSelection.java
index 6527583e7c..21c16e7aac 100644
--- a/flutter-idea/src/io/flutter/run/daemon/DeviceSelection.java
+++ b/flutter-idea/src/io/flutter/run/daemon/DeviceSelection.java
@@ -46,9 +46,12 @@ DeviceSelection withDevices(@NotNull List<FlutterDevice> newDevices) {
     final Optional<FlutterDevice> selectedDevice = findById(newDevices, selectedId);
 
     // If there's no selected device, default the first ephemoral one in the list.
-    final FlutterDevice firstEphemoral =
+    FlutterDevice firstEphemeral =
       newDevices.stream().filter(FlutterDevice::ephemeral).findFirst().orElse(null);
-    return new DeviceSelection(ImmutableList.copyOf(newDevices), selectedDevice.orElse(firstEphemoral));
+    if (firstEphemeral == null && !newDevices.isEmpty()) {
+      firstEphemeral = newDevices.get(0);
+    }
+    return new DeviceSelection(ImmutableList.copyOf(newDevices), selectedDevice.orElse(firstEphemeral));
   }
 
   /**