diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index cb19f52..cfde09f 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 [ ] prevent overscrolling on treeview
 [x] user config file and/or init.lua
 [ ] change tmp directory to somewhere in /tmp
-[ ] save session and restore on reopening
+[x] save project directory and restore on reopening
 [ ] optimize dir tree taking too long to load on big folders
 [ ] go in background when launching from terminal
 [ ] some key bindings:
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 	[ ] ctrl+d == duplicate line
 	[ ] ctrl+x == cut line || selection
 	[ ] ctrl+c == copy line || selection
-	[ ] ctrl+shift+o == change & open project folder -> core:open-project-module
+	[x] ctrl+shift+o == change & open project folder
 	[x] ctrl+q == quit
 	[x] ctrl+n -> next_find
 	[x] ctrl+shift+n -> prev_find
diff --git a/data/core/commands/core.lua b/data/core/commands/core.lua
index dbe08a4..717cade 100644
--- a/data/core/commands/core.lua
+++ b/data/core/commands/core.lua
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ command.add(nil, {
   end,
 
   ["core:open-user-module"] = function()
-    core.root_view:open_doc(core.open_doc(EXEDIR .. "/data/user/init.lua"))
+    core.root_view:open_doc(core.open_doc(USERDIR .. "/user/init.lua"))
   end,
 
   ["core:open-project-module"] = function()
@@ -98,4 +98,17 @@ command.add(nil, {
       doc:save(filename)
     end
   end,
+
+  ["core:open-project"] = function()
+    core.command_view:enter("Project Path", function(text)
+      if text then
+        core.log("New project path %s", text)
+        local info = system.get_file_info(text)
+        if info and info.type == "dir" then
+          system.exec(string.format("%q %s", EXEFILE, text))
+          core.quit()
+        end
+      end
+    end, common.path_suggest)
+  end,
 })
diff --git a/data/core/common.lua b/data/core/common.lua
index 1fc91b8..b195cea 100644
--- a/data/core/common.lua
+++ b/data/core/common.lua
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function common.fuzzy_match(haystack, needle)
   return system.fuzzy_match(haystack, needle)
 end
 
-
+-- FIXME: why does this crash when specifying path?
 function common.path_suggest(text)
   local path, name = text:match("^(.-)([^/\\]*)$")
   local files = system.list_dir(path == "" and "." or path) or {}
diff --git a/data/core/config.lua b/data/core/config.lua
index e81a550..663aef1 100644
--- a/data/core/config.lua
+++ b/data/core/config.lua
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@ config.line_height = 1.2
 config.indent_size = 8
 config.tab_type = "hard"
 config.line_limit = 80
+config.restore_last_dir = true
 
 return config
diff --git a/data/core/init.lua b/data/core/init.lua
index 381b009..7cb64b2 100644
--- a/data/core/init.lua
+++ b/data/core/init.lua
@@ -82,7 +82,38 @@ function core.init()
   CommandView = require "core.commandview"
   Doc = require "core.doc"
 
+  -- load config before anything
+  core.frame_start = 0
+  core.clip_rect_stack = {{ 0,0,0,0 }}
+  core.log_items = {}
+  core.docs = {}
+  core.threads = setmetatable({}, { __mode = "k" })
+  core.project_files = {}
+  core.redraw = true
+  command.add_defaults()
+  -- FIXME: this can load plugins before any thread is started resulting in
+  --        their failure
+  core.try(require, "user")
+
+  -- get the last open dir or open HOME
   local project_dir = os.getenv("HOME") or '/'
+  if config.restore_last_dir then
+    local info = system.get_file_info(USERDIR .. '/last_dir')
+    if info and info.type == "file" then
+      local file = io.open(USERDIR .. '/last_dir')
+      if file then
+        local last_dir = file:read()
+        file:close()
+      	if last_dir then
+      	  info = system.get_file_info(last_dir)
+      	  if info and info.type == "dir" then
+      	    project_dir = last_dir
+      	  end
+      	end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   local files = {}
   for i = 2, #ARGS do
     local info = system.get_file_info(ARGS[i]) or {}
@@ -93,15 +124,12 @@ function core.init()
     end
   end
 
-  system.chdir(project_dir)
+  -- write project dir to log file
+  local d = io.open(USERDIR .. '/last_dir', "w")
+  d:write(tostring(system.absolute_path(project_dir)))
+  d:close()
 
-  core.frame_start = 0
-  core.clip_rect_stack = {{ 0,0,0,0 }}
-  core.log_items = {}
-  core.docs = {}
-  core.threads = setmetatable({}, { __mode = "k" })
-  core.project_files = {}
-  core.redraw = true
+  system.chdir(project_dir)
 
   core.root_view = RootView()
   core.command_view = CommandView()
@@ -111,9 +139,7 @@ function core.init()
   core.root_view.root_node.b:split("down", core.status_view, true)
 
   core.add_thread(project_scan_thread)
-  command.add_defaults()
   local got_plugin_error = not core.load_plugins()
-  core.try(require, "user")
   local got_project_error = not core.load_project_module()
 
   for _, filename in ipairs(files) do
diff --git a/data/core/keymap.lua b/data/core/keymap.lua
index a8aef37..3c1a4f1 100644
--- a/data/core/keymap.lua
+++ b/data/core/keymap.lua
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ end
 keymap.add {
   ["ctrl+shift+p"] = "core:find-command",
   ["ctrl+p"] = "core:find-file",
+  ["ctrl+shift+o"] = "core:open-project",
   ["ctrl+o"] = "core:open-file",
   ["f3"] = "core:new-doc",
   ["alt+return"] = "core:toggle-fullscreen",