diff --git a/editor/editor_properties.cpp b/editor/editor_properties.cpp
index 935915a0c080..3a813c091e38 100644
--- a/editor/editor_properties.cpp
+++ b/editor/editor_properties.cpp
@@ -3228,8 +3228,9 @@ void EditorPropertyResource::_viewport_selected(const NodePath &p_path) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	Ref<ViewportTexture> vt;
-	vt.instantiate();
+	Ref<ViewportTexture> vt = get_edited_property_value();
+	ERR_FAIL_COND(vt.is_null());
+
 	vt->set_viewport_path_in_scene(get_tree()->get_edited_scene_root()->get_path_to(to_node));
 
 	emit_changed(get_edited_property(), vt);