diff --git a/Orange/widgets/visualize/owheatmap.py b/Orange/widgets/visualize/owheatmap.py
index 76034f647a8..083fec9c1a8 100644
--- a/Orange/widgets/visualize/owheatmap.py
+++ b/Orange/widgets/visualize/owheatmap.py
@@ -427,6 +427,7 @@ class Outputs:
 
     palette_index = settings.Setting(_default_palette_index)
     column_label_pos = settings.Setting(PositionTop)
+    selected_rows = settings.Setting(None, schema_only=True)
 
     auto_commit = settings.Setting(True)
 
@@ -454,6 +455,7 @@ class Warning(widget.OWWidget.Warning):
 
     def __init__(self):
         super().__init__()
+        self.__pending_selection = self.selected_rows
 
         # set default settings
         self.space_x = 10
@@ -719,7 +721,13 @@ def set_dataset(self, data=None):
             self.openContext(self.data)
             if self.annotation_index >= len(self.annotation_vars):
                 self.annotation_index = 0
+
         self.update_heatmaps()
+        if data is not None and self.__pending_selection is not None:
+            self.selection_manager.select_rows(self.__pending_selection)
+            self.selected_rows = self.__pending_selection
+            self.__pending_selection = None
+
         self.unconditional_commit()
 
     def update_heatmaps(self):