diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/AddWorkspaceItemsTask.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/AddWorkspaceItemsTask.java
index 5fc555172f..0d55301111 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/AddWorkspaceItemsTask.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/AddWorkspaceItemsTask.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public class AddWorkspaceItemsTask extends BaseModelUpdateTask {
         final IntArray addedWorkspaceScreensFinal = new IntArray();
 
         synchronized(dataModel) {
-            IntArray workspaceScreens = dataModel.workspaceScreens.clone();
+            IntArray workspaceScreens = dataModel.collectWorkspaceScreens();
 
             List<ItemInfo> filteredItems = new ArrayList<>();
             for (Pair<ItemInfo, Object> entry : mItemList) {
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BaseLoaderResults.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BaseLoaderResults.java
index f6e220f94f..23c6faf548 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BaseLoaderResults.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BaseLoaderResults.java
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ public abstract class BaseLoaderResults {
         synchronized (mBgDataModel) {
             workspaceItems.addAll(mBgDataModel.workspaceItems);
             appWidgets.addAll(mBgDataModel.appWidgets);
-            orderedScreenIds.addAll(mBgDataModel.workspaceScreens);
+            orderedScreenIds.addAll(mBgDataModel.collectWorkspaceScreens());
             mBgDataModel.lastBindId++;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BgDataModel.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BgDataModel.java
index 151d6f4b6f..b338fff55d 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BgDataModel.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BgDataModel.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import com.android.launcher3.ItemInfo;
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherAppWidgetInfo;
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherSettings;
 import com.android.launcher3.ShortcutInfo;
+import com.android.launcher3.Workspace;
 import com.android.launcher3.config.FeatureFlags;
 import com.android.launcher3.logging.DumpTargetWrapper;
 import com.android.launcher3.model.nano.LauncherDumpProto;
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ import com.android.launcher3.shortcuts.ShortcutInfoCompat;
 import com.android.launcher3.shortcuts.ShortcutKey;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.ComponentKey;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.IntArray;
+import com.android.launcher3.util.IntSet;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.IntSparseArrayMap;
 import com.google.protobuf.nano.MessageNano;
 
@@ -80,11 +82,6 @@ public class BgDataModel {
      */
     public final IntSparseArrayMap<FolderInfo> folders = new IntSparseArrayMap<>();
 
-    /**
-     * Ordered list of workspace screens ids.
-     */
-    public final IntArray workspaceScreens = new IntArray();
-
     /**
      * Map of ShortcutKey to the number of times it is pinned.
      */
@@ -118,11 +115,26 @@ public class BgDataModel {
         appWidgets.clear();
         folders.clear();
         itemsIdMap.clear();
-        workspaceScreens.clear();
         pinnedShortcutCounts.clear();
         deepShortcutMap.clear();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Creates an array of valid workspace screens based on current items in the model.
+     */
+    public synchronized IntArray collectWorkspaceScreens() {
+        IntSet screenSet = new IntSet();
+        for (ItemInfo item: itemsIdMap) {
+            if (item.container == LauncherSettings.Favorites.CONTAINER_DESKTOP) {
+                screenSet.add(item.screenId);
+            }
+        }
+        if (FeatureFlags.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN.get() || screenSet.isEmpty()) {
+            screenSet.add(Workspace.FIRST_SCREEN_ID);
+        }
+        return screenSet.getArray();
+    }
+
     public synchronized void dump(String prefix, FileDescriptor fd, PrintWriter writer,
             String[] args) {
         if (Arrays.asList(args).contains("--proto")) {
@@ -130,11 +142,6 @@ public class BgDataModel {
             return;
         }
         writer.println(prefix + "Data Model:");
-        writer.print(prefix + " ---- workspace screens: ");
-        for (int i = 0; i < workspaceScreens.size(); i++) {
-            writer.print(" " + workspaceScreens.get(i));
-        }
-        writer.println();
         writer.println(prefix + " ---- workspace items ");
         for (int i = 0; i < workspaceItems.size(); i++) {
             writer.println(prefix + '\t' + workspaceItems.get(i).toString());
@@ -167,6 +174,7 @@ public class BgDataModel {
         // Add top parent nodes. (L1)
         DumpTargetWrapper hotseat = new DumpTargetWrapper(ContainerType.HOTSEAT, 0);
         IntSparseArrayMap<DumpTargetWrapper> workspaces = new IntSparseArrayMap<>();
+        IntArray workspaceScreens = collectWorkspaceScreens();
         for (int i = 0; i < workspaceScreens.size(); i++) {
             workspaces.put(workspaceScreens.get(i),
                     new DumpTargetWrapper(ContainerType.WORKSPACE, i));
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderTask.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderTask.java
index 8a6aa1af29..cfabc10994 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderTask.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderTask.java
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import android.content.IntentFilter;
 import android.content.pm.LauncherActivityInfo;
 import android.content.pm.PackageInstaller;
 import android.content.pm.PackageInstaller.SessionInfo;
-import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.os.Handler;
 import android.os.Process;
 import android.os.UserHandle;
@@ -43,19 +42,17 @@ import android.util.MutableInt;
 import com.android.launcher3.AllAppsList;
 import com.android.launcher3.AppInfo;
 import com.android.launcher3.FolderInfo;
-import com.android.launcher3.ItemInfoWithIcon;
-import com.android.launcher3.icons.ComponentWithLabel;
-import com.android.launcher3.icons.ComponentWithLabel.ComponentCachingLogic;
-import com.android.launcher3.icons.cache.IconCacheUpdateHandler;
-import com.android.launcher3.icons.IconCache;
 import com.android.launcher3.InstallShortcutReceiver;
 import com.android.launcher3.ItemInfo;
+import com.android.launcher3.ItemInfoWithIcon;
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherAppState;
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherAppWidgetInfo;
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherModel;
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherSettings;
+import com.android.launcher3.LauncherSettings.Favorites;
 import com.android.launcher3.ShortcutInfo;
 import com.android.launcher3.Utilities;
+import com.android.launcher3.Workspace;
 import com.android.launcher3.compat.AppWidgetManagerCompat;
 import com.android.launcher3.compat.LauncherAppsCompat;
 import com.android.launcher3.compat.PackageInstallerCompat;
@@ -63,16 +60,18 @@ import com.android.launcher3.compat.UserManagerCompat;
 import com.android.launcher3.config.FeatureFlags;
 import com.android.launcher3.folder.Folder;
 import com.android.launcher3.folder.FolderIconPreviewVerifier;
+import com.android.launcher3.icons.ComponentWithLabel;
+import com.android.launcher3.icons.ComponentWithLabel.ComponentCachingLogic;
+import com.android.launcher3.icons.IconCache;
 import com.android.launcher3.icons.LauncherActivtiyCachingLogic;
 import com.android.launcher3.icons.LauncherIcons;
+import com.android.launcher3.icons.cache.IconCacheUpdateHandler;
 import com.android.launcher3.logging.FileLog;
 import com.android.launcher3.provider.ImportDataTask;
 import com.android.launcher3.shortcuts.DeepShortcutManager;
 import com.android.launcher3.shortcuts.ShortcutInfoCompat;
 import com.android.launcher3.shortcuts.ShortcutKey;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.ComponentKey;
-import com.android.launcher3.util.IntArray;
-import com.android.launcher3.util.IntSet;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.LooperIdleLock;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.MultiHashMap;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.PackageManagerHelper;
@@ -158,9 +157,9 @@ public class LoaderTask implements Runnable {
             allItems.addAll(mBgDataModel.workspaceItems);
             allItems.addAll(mBgDataModel.appWidgets);
         }
-        int firstScreen = mBgDataModel.workspaceScreens.isEmpty()
-                ? -1 // In this case, we can still look at the items in the hotseat.
-                : mBgDataModel.workspaceScreens.get(0);
+        // Screen set is never empty
+        final int firstScreen = mBgDataModel.collectWorkspaceScreens().get(0);
+
         filterCurrentWorkspaceItems(firstScreen, allItems, firstScreenItems,
                 new ArrayList<>() /* otherScreenItems are ignored */);
         mFirstScreenBroadcast.sendBroadcasts(mApp.getContext(), firstScreenItems);
@@ -784,16 +783,6 @@ public class LoaderTask implements Runnable {
                         null,
                         new Handler(LauncherModel.getWorkerLooper()));
             }
-
-            // Initialize the screens array. Using an InstSet ensures that the screen ids
-            // are sorted.
-            IntSet screenSet = new IntSet();
-            for (ItemInfo item: mBgDataModel.itemsIdMap) {
-                if (item.container == LauncherSettings.Favorites.CONTAINER_DESKTOP) {
-                    screenSet.add(item.screenId);
-                }
-            }
-            mBgDataModel.workspaceScreens.addAll(screenSet.getArray());
         }
     }