diff --git a/include/MainWindow.h b/include/MainWindow.h
index 69090d855..5916893fc 100644
--- a/include/MainWindow.h
+++ b/include/MainWindow.h
@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ public:
 		return m_toolBar;
 	}
 
-	// show MainWidget or WelcomeScreen
-	void setMainWidgetVisible( bool _visible );
 
 	//int addWidgetToToolBar( QWidget * _w, int _row = -1, int _col = -1 );
 	//void addSpacingToToolBar( int _size );
@@ -109,6 +107,7 @@ public:
 
 	void setPlaybackMode( ProjectPlaybackMode _playbackMode );
 
+    void showWelcomeScreen(bool _visible = true);
 
 public slots:
 	void resetWindowTitle();
@@ -145,6 +144,7 @@ public slots:
 
 protected:
 	virtual void closeEvent( QCloseEvent * _ce );
+	virtual void showEvent( QShowEvent * _se );
 	virtual void focusOutEvent( QFocusEvent * _fe );
 	virtual void keyPressEvent( QKeyEvent * _ke );
 	virtual void keyReleaseEvent( QKeyEvent * _ke );
diff --git a/include/WelcomeScreen.h b/include/WelcomeScreen.h
index 9f73476b7..d1e38b48a 100644
--- a/include/WelcomeScreen.h
+++ b/include/WelcomeScreen.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ private slots:
 
 
 private:
-	void switchView();
+	void hideWelcomeScreen();
 
 	Ui::WelcomeScreen * ui;
 	RecentResourceListModel * m_recentProjectsModel;
diff --git a/src/core/main.cpp b/src/core/main.cpp
index b91c15653..41227025f 100644
--- a/src/core/main.cpp
+++ b/src/core/main.cpp
@@ -458,6 +458,9 @@ int main( int argc, char * * argv )
 				engine::mainWindow()->showMaximized();
 			}
 			engine::getSong()->loadProject( file_to_load );
+
+			// don't show welcome screen
+			engine::mainWindow()->showWelcomeScreen( false );
 		}
 		else if( !file_to_import.isEmpty() )
 		{
@@ -472,6 +475,9 @@ int main( int argc, char * * argv )
 			{
 				engine::mainWindow()->showMaximized();
 			}
+
+			// don't show welcome screen
+			engine::mainWindow()->showWelcomeScreen( false );
 		}
 		else
 		{
@@ -484,6 +490,9 @@ int main( int argc, char * * argv )
 			{
 				engine::mainWindow()->showMaximized();
 			}
+
+			// show welcome screen
+			engine::mainWindow()->showWelcomeScreen();
 		}
 	}
 	else
@@ -519,9 +528,7 @@ int main( int argc, char * * argv )
 		}
 	}
 
-	const int ret = app->exec();
-	delete app;
-	return( ret );
+	return app->exec();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp b/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
index 8dc2874f5..dfb101be6 100644
--- a/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow() :
 	vbox->setSpacing( 0 );
 	vbox->setMargin( 0 );
 
-
 	QWidget * w = new QWidget( m_mainWidget );
 	QHBoxLayout * hbox = new QHBoxLayout( w );
 	hbox->setSpacing( 0 );
@@ -152,17 +151,14 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow() :
 	vbox->addWidget( m_toolBar );
 	vbox->addWidget( w );
 
+	m_updateTimer.start( 1000 / 20, this );	// 20 fps
 
 	m_welcomeScreen = new WelcomeScreen( this );
-
-	setCentralWidget( m_welcomeScreen );
-
-	m_updateTimer.start( 1000 / 20, this );	// 20 fps
+	m_welcomeScreen->setVisible( false );
 }
 
 
 
-
 MainWindow::~MainWindow()
 {
 	for( QList<PluginView *>::Iterator it = m_tools.begin();
@@ -182,15 +178,14 @@ MainWindow::~MainWindow()
 
 
 
-
-void MainWindow::setMainWidgetVisible( bool _visible )
+void MainWindow::showWelcomeScreen(bool _visible)
 {
-	setCentralWidget( _visible ? m_mainWidget : m_welcomeScreen );
+	m_welcomeScreen->setVisible( _visible );
+	setCentralWidget( _visible ? m_welcomeScreen : m_mainWidget );
 }
 
 
 
-
 void MainWindow::finalize()
 {
 	resetWindowTitle();
@@ -312,8 +307,7 @@ void MainWindow::finalize()
 
 	// create the grid layout for the first buttons area
 	QWidget * gridButtons_w = new QWidget( m_toolBar );
-	QGridLayout * gridButtons_layout = new QGridLayout( gridButtons_w/*, 2, 1*/ );
-
+	QGridLayout * gridButtons_layout = new QGridLayout( gridButtons_w );
 
 	// create tool-buttons
 	toolButton * project_new = new toolButton(
@@ -1197,6 +1191,12 @@ void MainWindow::closeEvent( QCloseEvent * _ce )
 }
 
 
+void MainWindow::showEvent( QShowEvent * _se )
+{
+	//showWelcomeScreen( false ); // must explicitly ask for welcome screen
+	_se->accept();
+}
+
 
 
 void MainWindow::focusOutEvent( QFocusEvent * _fe )
diff --git a/src/gui/WelcomeScreen.cpp b/src/gui/WelcomeScreen.cpp
index 964988aeb..3b33ed976 100644
--- a/src/gui/WelcomeScreen.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/WelcomeScreen.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ WelcomeScreen::~WelcomeScreen()
 
 void WelcomeScreen::createNewProject()
 {
-	switchView();
+	hideWelcomeScreen();
 }
 
 
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ void WelcomeScreen::instantMidiAction()
 
 void WelcomeScreen::openRecentProject( const QModelIndex & _idx )
 {
-	switchView();
+	hideWelcomeScreen();
 	ResourceAction( m_recentProjectsModel->item( _idx ) ).loadProject();
 }
 
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ void WelcomeScreen::openCommunityResource( const QModelIndex & _idx )
 	switch( item->type() )
 	{
 		case ResourceItem::TypeProject:
-			switchView();
+			hideWelcomeScreen();
 			action.loadProject();
 			break;
 		default:
@@ -177,9 +177,9 @@ void WelcomeScreen::openOnlineResource( QListWidgetItem * _item )
 
 
 
-void WelcomeScreen::switchView()
+void WelcomeScreen::hideWelcomeScreen()
 {
-	engine::mainWindow()->setMainWidgetVisible( true );
+	engine::mainWindow()->showWelcomeScreen( false );
 }