diff --git a/components/shellprivate/interactiveconsole/interactiveconsole.cpp b/components/shellprivate/interactiveconsole/interactiveconsole.cpp
--- a/components/shellprivate/interactiveconsole/interactiveconsole.cpp
+++ b/components/shellprivate/interactiveconsole/interactiveconsole.cpp
@@ -207,9 +207,9 @@
 void InteractiveConsole::setMode(const QString &mode)
 {
     if (mode.toLower() == QLatin1String("desktop")) {
-        m_plasmaAction->setChecked(true);
+        m_plasmaAction->trigger();
     } else if (mode.toLower() == QLatin1String("windowmanager")) {
-        m_kwinAction->setChecked(true);
+        m_kwinAction->trigger();
     }
 }