diff --git a/SampleApps/AvaloniaApp/App.axaml.cs b/SampleApps/AvaloniaApp/App.axaml.cs
index 611a06a7..693aa5d3 100644
--- a/SampleApps/AvaloniaApp/App.axaml.cs
+++ b/SampleApps/AvaloniaApp/App.axaml.cs
@@ -15,10 +15,7 @@ namespace SampleApplication
         {
             if (ApplicationLifetime is IClassicDesktopStyleApplicationLifetime desktop)
             {
-                desktop.MainWindow = new MainWindow
-                {
-                    DataContext = new MapViewModel()
-                };
+                desktop.MainWindow = new MainWindow();
             }
 
             base.OnFrameworkInitializationCompleted();
diff --git a/SampleApps/AvaloniaApp/MainWindow.axaml b/SampleApps/AvaloniaApp/MainWindow.axaml
index b35df465..0a14416a 100644
--- a/SampleApps/AvaloniaApp/MainWindow.axaml
+++ b/SampleApps/AvaloniaApp/MainWindow.axaml
@@ -6,10 +6,16 @@
         xmlns:local="clr-namespace:SampleApplication"
         x:Class="SampleApplication.MainWindow"
         Title="XAML MapControl - Avalonia Sample Application">
+
+    <Window.DataContext>
+        <local:MapViewModel/>
+    </Window.DataContext>
+
     <Grid>
         <Grid.Resources>
             <local:MapHeadingToVisibilityConverter x:Key="MapHeadingToVisibilityConverter" />
         </Grid.Resources>
+
         <map:Map x:Name="map"
                  ZoomLevel="11" MinZoomLevel="3"
                  Center="53.5,8.2"