diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
index d511c05a2..b76ab9659 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
@@ -495,11 +495,11 @@ void CConfigManager::handleWindowRule(const std::string& command, const std::str
 void CConfigManager::handleDefaultWorkspace(const std::string& command, const std::string& value) {
 
     const auto DISPLAY = value.substr(0, value.find_first_of(','));
-    const auto WORKSPACEID = stoi(value.substr(value.find_first_of(',') + 1));
+    const auto WORKSPACE = value.substr(value.find_first_of(',') + 1);
 
     for (auto& mr : m_dMonitorRules) {
         if (mr.name == DISPLAY) {
-            mr.defaultWorkspaceID = WORKSPACEID;
+            mr.defaultWorkspace = WORKSPACE;
             break;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
index 866b8b8ed..0d4386c17 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ struct SMonitorRule {
     Vector2D    offset = Vector2D(0,0);
     float       scale = 1;
     float       refreshRate = 60;
-    int         defaultWorkspaceID = -1;
+    std::string defaultWorkspace = "";
     bool        disabled = false;
     wl_output_transform transform = WL_OUTPUT_TRANSFORM_NORMAL;
 };
diff --git a/src/events/Monitors.cpp b/src/events/Monitors.cpp
index 257565487..afbc0745a 100644
--- a/src/events/Monitors.cpp
+++ b/src/events/Monitors.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,15 @@ void Events::listener_newOutput(wl_listener* listener, void* data) {
     wlr_ext_workspace_group_handle_v1_output_enter(PNEWMONITOR->pWLRWorkspaceGroupHandle, PNEWMONITOR->output);
 
     // Workspace
-    const auto WORKSPACEID = monitorRule.defaultWorkspaceID == -1 ? g_pCompositor->m_lWorkspaces.size() + 1 /* Cuz workspaces doesnt have the new one yet and we start with 1 */ : monitorRule.defaultWorkspaceID;
+    std::string newDefaultWorkspaceName = "";
+    auto WORKSPACEID = monitorRule.defaultWorkspace == "" ? g_pCompositor->m_lWorkspaces.size() + 1 : getWorkspaceIDFromString(monitorRule.defaultWorkspace, newDefaultWorkspaceName);
+    
+    if (WORKSPACEID == INT_MAX || WORKSPACEID == (long unsigned int)SPECIAL_WORKSPACE_ID) {
+        WORKSPACEID = g_pCompositor->m_lWorkspaces.size() + 1;
+        newDefaultWorkspaceName = std::to_string(WORKSPACEID);
+
+        Debug::log(LOG, "Invalid workspace= directive name in monitor parsing, workspace name \"%s\" is invalid.", monitorRule.defaultWorkspace);
+    }
 
     auto PNEWWORKSPACE = g_pCompositor->getWorkspaceByID(WORKSPACEID);
 
@@ -127,14 +135,13 @@ void Events::listener_newOutput(wl_listener* listener, void* data) {
         g_pLayoutManager->getCurrentLayout()->recalculateMonitor(PNEWMONITOR->ID);
         PNEWWORKSPACE->startAnim(true,true,true);
     } else {
-        g_pCompositor->m_lWorkspaces.emplace_back(newMonitor.ID);
-        PNEWWORKSPACE = &g_pCompositor->m_lWorkspaces.back();
+        PNEWWORKSPACE = &g_pCompositor->m_lWorkspaces.emplace_back(newMonitor.ID);
 
         // We are required to set the name here immediately
-        wlr_ext_workspace_handle_v1_set_name(PNEWWORKSPACE->m_pWlrHandle, std::to_string(WORKSPACEID).c_str());
+        wlr_ext_workspace_handle_v1_set_name(PNEWWORKSPACE->m_pWlrHandle, newDefaultWorkspaceName.c_str());
 
         PNEWWORKSPACE->m_iID = WORKSPACEID;
-        PNEWWORKSPACE->m_szName = std::to_string(WORKSPACEID);
+        PNEWWORKSPACE->m_szName = newDefaultWorkspaceName;
     }
 
     PNEWMONITOR->activeWorkspace = PNEWWORKSPACE->m_iID;