diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawPage.h b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawPage.h
index 07933dca70..63811b455a 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawPage.h
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawPage.h
@@ -109,6 +109,11 @@ public:
 
     void translateLabel(std::string context, std::string baseName, std::string uniqueName);
 
+    enum class PageProjectionConvention {
+        FirstAngle = 0,
+        ThirdAngle
+    };
+
 
 protected:
     void onBeforeChange(const App::Property* prop) override;
diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawProjGroup.cpp b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawProjGroup.cpp
index fb21dbe93c..c974fc3f3b 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawProjGroup.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawProjGroup.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@
 
 using namespace TechDraw;
 
+// this needs to be kept in the same sequence as the enum in the h file and with the QComboBox
+// in TaskProjGroup.ui.
 const char* DrawProjGroup::ProjectionTypeEnums[] = {"First angle", "Third angle",
                                                     "Default",//Use Page setting
                                                     nullptr};
diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawProjGroup.h b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawProjGroup.h
index b4bbf8e95b..9589493699 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawProjGroup.h
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawProjGroup.h
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 #ifndef TECHDRAW_FEATUREVIEWGROUP_H_
 #define TECHDRAW_FEATUREVIEWGROUP_H_
 
-#include <string>
 #include <QRectF>
 
 #include <App/DocumentObject.h>
@@ -74,6 +73,14 @@ public:
 
     App::PropertyLink Anchor; /// Anchor Element to align views to
 
+    // this needs to be kept in the same sequence as the literals in the cpp file and with the QComboBox
+    // in TaskProjGroup.ui.
+    enum class ViewProjectionConvention {
+        FirstAngle = 0,
+        ThirdAngle,
+        Page
+    };
+
     double autoScale() const override;
     double autoScale(double w, double h) const override;
     QRectF getRect() const override;   //always scaled
diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Preferences.cpp b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Preferences.cpp
index cc3f9c8f92..7b87739711 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Preferences.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Preferences.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 #include <Base/Parameter.h>
 
 #include "Preferences.h"
-#include "DrawBrokenView.h"
+#include "DrawProjGroup.h"
 #include "LineGenerator.h"
 
 //getters for parameters used in multiple places.
@@ -151,7 +151,9 @@ bool Preferences::useGlobalDecimals()
 
 int Preferences::projectionAngle()
 {
-    return getPreferenceGroup("General")->GetInt("ProjectionAngle", 0);  //First angle
+    int defaultConvention = (int)DrawProjGroup::ViewProjectionConvention::FirstAngle;
+    return getPreferenceGroup("General")->GetInt("ProjectionAngle",
+                                                 defaultConvention);
 }
 
 bool Preferences::groupAutoDistribute()
diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/TaskProjGroup.cpp b/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/TaskProjGroup.cpp
index e4bc1018bf..fa84645162 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/TaskProjGroup.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/TaskProjGroup.cpp
@@ -109,8 +109,8 @@ void TaskProjGroup::connectWidgets()
     connect(ui->sbScaleDen,   qOverload<int>(&QSpinBox::valueChanged), this, &TaskProjGroup::scaleManuallyChanged);
 
     // Slot for Projection Type (layout)
-    connect(ui->projection, qOverload<int>(&QComboBox::currentIndexChanged), this, [this](int index) {
-        projectionTypeChanged(ui->projection->itemText(index));
+    connect(ui->projection, qOverload<int>(&QComboBox::currentIndexChanged), this, [this]() {
+        projectionTypeChanged(ui->projection->currentIndex());
     });
 
     // Spacing
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ void TaskProjGroup::saveGroupState()
 
     if (multiView) {
         m_saveSource = multiView->Source.getValues();
-        m_saveProjType = multiView->ProjectionType.getValueAsString();
+        m_saveProjType = multiView->ProjectionType.getValue();
         m_saveAutoDistribute = multiView->AutoDistribute.getValue();
         m_saveSpacingX = multiView->spacingX.getValue();
         m_saveSpacingY = multiView->spacingY.getValue();
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ void TaskProjGroup::restoreGroupState()
     view->Scale.setValue(m_saveScale);
 
     if (multiView) {
-        multiView->ProjectionType.setValue(m_saveProjType.c_str());
+        multiView->ProjectionType.setValue(m_saveProjType);
         multiView->AutoDistribute.setValue(m_saveAutoDistribute);
         multiView->spacingX.setValue(m_saveSpacingX);
         multiView->spacingY.setValue(m_saveSpacingY);
@@ -484,20 +484,13 @@ void TaskProjGroup::rotateButtonClicked()
     }
 }
 
-//void TaskProjGroup::projectionTypeChanged(int index)
-void TaskProjGroup::projectionTypeChanged(QString qText)
+void TaskProjGroup::projectionTypeChanged(int index)
 {
     if(blockUpdate || !multiView) {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (qText == QStringLiteral("Page")) {
-        multiView->ProjectionType.setValue("Default");
-    }
-    else {
-        std::string text = qText.toStdString();
-        multiView->ProjectionType.setValue(text.c_str());
-    }
+    multiView->ProjectionType.setValue((long)index);
 
     // Update checkboxes so checked state matches the drawing
     blockCheckboxes = true;
@@ -687,18 +680,19 @@ bool TaskProjGroup::useThirdAngle()
         return false;
     }
 
-    bool thirdAngle = (bool) Preferences::projectionAngle();
-    if (!multiView) {
-        return thirdAngle;
+   if (!multiView) {
+        return Preferences::projectionAngle();
     }
 
-    if (multiView->usedProjectionType().isValue("Third angle")) {
-        thirdAngle = true;
-    } else if (multiView->usedProjectionType().isValue("Default") &&
-        page->ProjectionType.isValue("Third angle")) {
-        thirdAngle = true;
+    if (multiView->ProjectionType.getValue() == (long)DrawProjGroup::ViewProjectionConvention::ThirdAngle) {
+        return true;
     }
-    return thirdAngle;
+
+    if (multiView->ProjectionType.getValue() == (long)DrawProjGroup::ViewProjectionConvention::Page &&
+        page->ProjectionType.getValue() == (long)DrawPage::PageProjectionConvention::ThirdAngle) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
 }
 
 void TaskProjGroup::setupViewCheckboxes(bool addConnections)
diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/TaskProjGroup.h b/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/TaskProjGroup.h
index 2c40f4e952..dd793b0abc 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/TaskProjGroup.h
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/TaskProjGroup.h
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ protected Q_SLOTS:
 
     void customDirectionClicked();
 
-    void projectionTypeChanged(QString qText);
+    void projectionTypeChanged(int index);
     void scaleTypeChanged(int index);
     void AutoDistributeClicked(bool clicked);
     /// Updates item spacing
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ private:
     QPushButton* m_btnCancel{nullptr};
 
     std::vector<App::DocumentObject*> m_saveSource;
-    std::string    m_saveProjType;
+    long           m_saveProjType;
     std::string    m_saveScaleType;
     double         m_saveScale{1};
     bool           m_saveAutoDistribute{false};