diff --git a/textarea/textarea.go b/textarea/textarea.go
index 4c44935..0e9a2a6 100644
--- a/textarea/textarea.go
+++ b/textarea/textarea.go
@@ -1235,6 +1235,9 @@ func (m Model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		m.Err = msg
 	}
 
+	// Make sure we set the content of the viewport before updating it.
+	view := m.view()
+	m.viewport.SetContent(view)
 	vp, cmd := m.viewport.Update(msg)
 	m.viewport = &vp
 	cmds = append(cmds, cmd)
@@ -1257,9 +1260,8 @@ func (m Model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	return m, tea.Batch(cmds...)
 }
 
-// View renders the text area in its current state.
-func (m Model) View() string {
-	if m.Value() == "" && m.row == 0 && m.col == 0 && m.Placeholder != "" {
+func (m *Model) view() string {
+	if len(m.Value()) == 0 && m.row == 0 && m.col == 0 && m.Placeholder != "" {
 		return m.placeholderView()
 	}
 	m.virtualCursor.TextStyle = m.activeStyle().computedCursorLine()
@@ -1352,8 +1354,22 @@ func (m Model) View() string {
 		s.WriteRune('\n')
 	}
 
-	m.viewport.SetContent(s.String())
-	return styles.Base.Render(m.viewport.View())
+	return s.String()
+}
+
+// View renders the text area in its current state.
+func (m Model) View() string {
+	view := strings.TrimSpace(m.viewport.View())
+	if view == "" {
+		// XXX: This is a workaround for the case where the viewport hasn't
+		// been initialized yet like during the initial render. In that case,
+		// we need to render the view again because Update hasn't been called
+		// yet to set the content of the viewport.
+		m.viewport.SetContent(m.view())
+		view = m.viewport.View()
+	}
+	styles := m.activeStyle()
+	return styles.Base.Render(view)
 }
 
 // promptView renders a single line of the prompt.