diff --git a/include/openspace/interaction/orbitalnavigator.h b/include/openspace/interaction/orbitalnavigator.h
index b6ace82be8..1329158e79 100644
--- a/include/openspace/interaction/orbitalnavigator.h
+++ b/include/openspace/interaction/orbitalnavigator.h
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ private:
     glm::dvec3 _previousFocusNodePosition;
     glm::dquat _previousFocusNodeRotation;
     double _currentCameraToSurfaceDistance;
+    bool _directlySetStereoDistance = false;
 
     Interpolator<double> _rotateToFocusNodeInterpolator;
     Interpolator<double> _cameraToSurfaceDistanceInterpolator;
diff --git a/src/interaction/orbitalnavigator.cpp b/src/interaction/orbitalnavigator.cpp
index f95c9fb7b7..607d51980d 100644
--- a/src/interaction/orbitalnavigator.cpp
+++ b/src/interaction/orbitalnavigator.cpp
@@ -324,10 +324,15 @@ void OrbitalNavigator::updateCameraStateFromMouseStates(Camera& camera, double d
             double targetCameraToSurfaceDistance = glm::length(
                 cameraToSurfaceVector(camPos, centerPos, posHandle)
             );
-            _currentCameraToSurfaceDistance = interpolateCameraToSurfaceDistance(
-                deltaTime,
-                _currentCameraToSurfaceDistance,
-                targetCameraToSurfaceDistance);
+            if (_directlySetStereoDistance) {
+                _currentCameraToSurfaceDistance = targetCameraToSurfaceDistance;
+                _directlySetStereoDistance = false;
+            } else {
+                _currentCameraToSurfaceDistance = interpolateCameraToSurfaceDistance(
+                    deltaTime,
+                    _currentCameraToSurfaceDistance,
+                    targetCameraToSurfaceDistance);
+            }
 
             camera.setScaling(
                 _stereoscopicDepthOfFocusSurface /
@@ -357,11 +362,15 @@ glm::dvec3 OrbitalNavigator::cameraToSurfaceVector(
 }
 
 void OrbitalNavigator::setFocusNode(SceneGraphNode* focusNode) {
+    if (!_focusNode) {
+        _directlySetStereoDistance = true;
+    }
+
     _focusNode = focusNode;
 
-    if (_focusNode != nullptr) {
-        _previousFocusNodePosition = _focusNode->worldPosition();
-        _previousFocusNodeRotation = glm::quat_cast(_focusNode->worldRotationMatrix());
+    if (focusNode != nullptr) {
+        _previousFocusNodePosition = focusNode->worldPosition();
+        _previousFocusNodeRotation = glm::quat_cast(focusNode->worldRotationMatrix());
     }
 }