diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index e74b8efe98..5cc72293fb 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -361,9 +361,6 @@ ARDOUR_UI::ARDOUR_UI (int *argcp, char **argvp[], const char* localedir)
 	
 	(void) theme_manager.get (true);
 	
-	starting.connect (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::startup));
-	stopping.connect (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::shutdown));
-
 	_process_thread = new ProcessThread ();
 	_process_thread->init ();
 
@@ -536,6 +533,10 @@ ARDOUR_UI::post_engine ()
 
 ARDOUR_UI::~ARDOUR_UI ()
 {
+	if (ui_config->dirty()) {
+		ui_config->save_state();
+	}
+
 	delete keyboard;
 	delete editor;
 	delete mixer;
@@ -712,8 +713,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::check_announcements ()
 #endif
 }
 
-void
-ARDOUR_UI::startup ()
+int
+ARDOUR_UI::starting ()
 {
 	Application* app = Application::instance ();
 	char *nsm_url;
@@ -785,7 +786,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::startup ()
 			s.hide ();
 			switch (s.response ()) {
 			case Gtk::RESPONSE_REJECT:
-				exit (1);
+				return -1;
 			default:
 				break;
 			}
@@ -799,8 +800,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::startup ()
 
 		/* go get a session */
 
-		if (get_session_parameters (true, ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::new_session, ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::load_template)) {
-			exit (1);
+		if (get_session_parameters (false, ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::new_session, ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::load_template)) {
+			return -1;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -816,6 +817,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::startup ()
 	_status_bar_visibility.update ();
 
 	BootMessage (string_compose (_("%1 is ready for use"), PROGRAM_NAME));
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void
@@ -2618,6 +2620,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::get_session_parameters (bool quit_on_cancel, bool should_be_new, stri
 		should_be_new = false;
 		
 		session_name = session_dialog.session_name (likely_new);
+		session_path = session_dialog.session_folder ();
 
 		if (nsm) {
 		        likely_new = true;
@@ -2640,6 +2643,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::get_session_parameters (bool quit_on_cancel, bool should_be_new, stri
 			_session_is_new = true;
 		}
 		
+		cerr << "SN " << session_name << " SP " << session_path << endl;
+
 		if (session_name[0] == G_DIR_SEPARATOR ||
 		    (session_name.length() > 2 && session_name[0] == '.' && session_name[1] == G_DIR_SEPARATOR) ||
 		    (session_name.length() > 3 && session_name[0] == '.' && session_name[1] == '.' && session_name[2] == G_DIR_SEPARATOR)) {
@@ -2712,6 +2717,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::get_session_parameters (bool quit_on_cancel, bool should_be_new, stri
 
 		} else {
 
+			cerr << "Loading session with path = " << session_path << " name = "  << session_name << " template " << template_name << endl;
+
 			ret = load_session (session_path, session_name, template_name);
 
 			if (ret == -2) {
@@ -3771,6 +3778,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::disconnect_from_engine ()
 	/* drop connection to AudioEngine::Halted so that we don't act
 	 *  as if the engine unexpectedly shut down
 	 */
+
 	halt_connection.disconnect ();
 	
 	if (AudioEngine::instance()->stop ()) {
@@ -4117,3 +4125,5 @@ ARDOUR_UI::do_audio_midi_setup (uint32_t desired_sample_rate)
 		return -1;
 	}
 }
+
+
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
index 191df0d31d..0253c1ec0a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
@@ -330,8 +330,7 @@ class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI, public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr
 
 	static ARDOUR_UI *theArdourUI;
 
-	void startup ();
-	void shutdown ();
+        int starting ();
 
 	int  ask_about_saving_session (const std::vector<std::string>& actions);
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dependents.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dependents.cc
index 821382717f..fbfc8c7afd 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dependents.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dependents.cc
@@ -50,14 +50,6 @@ namespace ARDOUR {
 
 using namespace ARDOUR;
 
-void
-ARDOUR_UI::shutdown ()
-{
-	if (ui_config->dirty()) {
-		ui_config->save_state();
-	}
-}
-
 void
 ARDOUR_UI::we_have_dependents ()
 {