Digitakt not initial sending program value via MIDI

I have hooked up an external synth to the Digitakt (Novation A-Station) and I can send MIDI data to it no problem., However, when I re-boot Digitakt it plays a few notes of the A-Station as part of the pattern I have created but then it cuts off MIDI notes. I have to manually re-select the program number I want to use on the Digitakt and then it starts transmitting MIDI again.

Is this by design or a bug?

Thanks
Gav