diff --git a/include/MainWindow.h b/include/MainWindow.h
index 86ab8adc6..5e1f294ae 100644
--- a/include/MainWindow.h
+++ b/include/MainWindow.h
@@ -69,10 +69,12 @@ public:
 	/// opens another file...) must call this before and may only proceed if
 	/// this function returns true.
 	///
+	/// \param	stopPlayback whether playback should be stopped upon prompting.  If set to false, the caller should ensure that Engine::getSong()->stop() is called before unloading/loading a song.
+	///
 	/// \return	true if the user allows the software to proceed, false if they
 	///         cancel the action.
 	///
-	bool mayChangeProject();
+	bool mayChangeProject(bool stopPlayback);
 
 
 	void clearKeyModifiers();
diff --git a/src/gui/FileBrowser.cpp b/src/gui/FileBrowser.cpp
index 942e1f360..6ea9d5134 100644
--- a/src/gui/FileBrowser.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/FileBrowser.cpp
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ void FileBrowserTreeWidget::handleFile(FileItem * f, InstrumentTrack * it )
 	switch( f->handling() )
 	{
 		case FileItem::LoadAsProject:
-			if( gui->mainWindow()->mayChangeProject() )
+			if( gui->mainWindow()->mayChangeProject(true) )
 			{
 				Engine::getSong()->loadProject( f->fullName() );
 			}
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ void FileBrowserTreeWidget::handleFile(FileItem * f, InstrumentTrack * it )
 
 		case FileItem::ImportAsProject:
 			if( f->type() == FileItem::FlpFile &&
-				!gui->mainWindow()->mayChangeProject() )
+				!gui->mainWindow()->mayChangeProject(true) )
 			{
 				break;
 			}
diff --git a/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp b/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
index 63b90179b..8250163af 100644
--- a/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -618,9 +618,10 @@ void MainWindow::resetWindowTitle()
 
 
 
-bool MainWindow::mayChangeProject()
+bool MainWindow::mayChangeProject(bool stopPlayback)
 {
-	Engine::getSong()->stop();
+	if( stopPlayback )
+		Engine::getSong()->stop();
 
 	if( !Engine::getSong()->isModified() )
 	{
@@ -733,7 +734,7 @@ void MainWindow::enterWhatsThisMode()
 
 void MainWindow::createNewProject()
 {
-	if( mayChangeProject() )
+	if( mayChangeProject(true) )
 	{
 		Engine::getSong()->createNewProject();
 	}
@@ -744,7 +745,7 @@ void MainWindow::createNewProject()
 
 void MainWindow::createNewProjectFromTemplate( QAction * _idx )
 {
-	if( m_templatesMenu != NULL && mayChangeProject() )
+	if( m_templatesMenu != NULL && mayChangeProject(true) )
 	{
 		QString dir_base = m_templatesMenu->actions().indexOf( _idx )
 						>= m_custom_templates_count ?
@@ -760,7 +761,7 @@ void MainWindow::createNewProjectFromTemplate( QAction * _idx )
 
 void MainWindow::openProject()
 {
-	if( mayChangeProject() )
+	if( mayChangeProject(false) )
 	{
 		FileDialog ofd( this, tr( "Open Project" ), "", tr( "LMMS (*.mmp *.mmpz)" ) );
 
@@ -769,6 +770,8 @@ void MainWindow::openProject()
 		if( ofd.exec () == QDialog::Accepted &&
 						!ofd.selectedFiles().isEmpty() )
 		{
+            Engine::getSong()->stop();
+
 			setCursor( Qt::WaitCursor );
 			Engine::getSong()->loadProject(
 						ofd.selectedFiles()[0] );
@@ -796,7 +799,7 @@ void MainWindow::updateRecentlyOpenedProjectsMenu()
 
 void MainWindow::openRecentlyOpenedProject( QAction * _action )
 {
-	if ( mayChangeProject() )
+	if ( mayChangeProject(true) )
 	{
 		const QString & f = _action->text();
 		setCursor( Qt::WaitCursor );
@@ -1185,7 +1188,7 @@ void MainWindow::redo()
 
 void MainWindow::closeEvent( QCloseEvent * _ce )
 {
-	if( mayChangeProject() )
+	if( mayChangeProject(true) )
 	{
 		// delete recovery file
 		QFile::remove(ConfigManager::inst()->recoveryFile());
diff --git a/src/gui/TrackContainerView.cpp b/src/gui/TrackContainerView.cpp
index 4513e9edf..f49f75bba 100644
--- a/src/gui/TrackContainerView.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/TrackContainerView.cpp
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ void TrackContainerView::dropEvent( QDropEvent * _de )
 
 	else if( type == "projectfile")
 	{
-		if( gui->mainWindow()->mayChangeProject() )
+		if( gui->mainWindow()->mayChangeProject(true) )
 		{
 			Engine::getSong()->loadProject( value );
 		}