diff --git a/glue_vispy_viewers/__init__.py b/glue_vispy_viewers/__init__.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/glue_vispy_viewers/__init__.py
+++ b/glue_vispy_viewers/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+# Import vispy.gloo first when on Windows otherwise there are strange
+# side-effects when PyQt4.Qt is imported first (which it now is in QtPy)
+import sys
+if sys.platform.startswith('win'):
+    import glue_vispy_viewers.extern.vispy.gloo.gl
+
 from .version import __version__
 
 BACKGROUND_COLOR = 'black'
On Windows, import vispy.gloo before doing anything else, otherwise things can fail if PyQt4.Qt is imported before vispy.gloo is set up.