diff --git a/src/plugins/effectmakernew/effectmakerview.cpp b/src/plugins/effectmakernew/effectmakerview.cpp
index 42624826943..c36ea9e76fa 100644
--- a/src/plugins/effectmakernew/effectmakerview.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/effectmakernew/effectmakerview.cpp
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
 #include "effectmakernodesmodel.h"
 #include "effectmakerwidget.h"
 
-#include "qmldesignerconstants.h"
-
+#include <documentmanager.h>
 #include <modelnodeoperations.h>
+#include <qmldesignerconstants.h>
 
 #include <coreplugin/icore.h>
 
@@ -79,7 +79,15 @@ void EffectMakerView::modelAttached(QmlDesigner::Model *model)
     AbstractView::modelAttached(model);
 
     m_widget->effectMakerNodesModel()->loadModel();
-    m_widget->effectMakerModel()->clear();
+
+    QString currProjectPath = QmlDesigner::DocumentManager::currentProjectDirPath().toString();
+
+    // if starting a new project, clear the effect maker
+    if (m_currProjectPath != currProjectPath)
+        m_widget->effectMakerModel()->clear();
+
+    m_currProjectPath = currProjectPath;
+
     m_widget->initView();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/effectmakernew/effectmakerview.h b/src/plugins/effectmakernew/effectmakerview.h
index 297e5acc776..627d5d4dc08 100644
--- a/src/plugins/effectmakernew/effectmakerview.h
+++ b/src/plugins/effectmakernew/effectmakerview.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ private:
                             const QList<QmlDesigner::ModelNode> &nodeList, const QList<QVariant> &data) override;
 
     QPointer<EffectMakerWidget> m_widget;
+    QString m_currProjectPath;
 };
 
 } // namespace EffectMaker