diff --git a/src/viewer.js b/src/viewer.js
index 0778e1e0..2b6a6b4a 100644
--- a/src/viewer.js
+++ b/src/viewer.js
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ $.Viewer = function( options ) {
         minZoomLevel:               this.minZoomLevel,
         maxZoomLevel:               this.maxZoomLevel,
         viewer:                     this,
-        initialDegrees:             this.degrees,
+        degrees:                    this.degrees,
         flipped:                    this.flipped,
         navigatorRotate:            this.navigatorRotate,
         homeFillsViewer:            this.homeFillsViewer,
diff --git a/src/viewport.js b/src/viewport.js
index dffad0f1..203fe07f 100644
--- a/src/viewport.js
+++ b/src/viewport.js
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ $.Viewport = function( options ) {
 
     delete options.margins;
 
+    options.initialDegrees = options.degrees;
+    delete options.degrees;
+
     $.extend( true, this, {
 
         //required settings