diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
index c18833bd8c..743ec420c0 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
@@ -2578,7 +2578,7 @@ Editor::set_state (const XMLNode& node, int version)
 		}
 	}
 
-	return LuaInstance::instance()->set_state(node);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 XMLNode&
@@ -2646,8 +2646,6 @@ Editor::get_state ()
 
 	node->set_property ("nudge-clock-value", nudge_clock->current_duration());
 
-	node->add_child_nocopy (LuaInstance::instance()->get_action_state());
-	node->add_child_nocopy (LuaInstance::instance()->get_hook_state());
 	node->add_child_nocopy (_locations->get_state ());
 
 	return *node;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/luainstance.cc b/gtk2_ardour/luainstance.cc
index f184368f1d..490790233f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/luainstance.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/luainstance.cc
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <cairomm/surface.h>
 #include <pango/pangocairo.h>
 
+#include "pbd/file_utils.h"
 #include "pbd/strsplit.h"
 
 #include "gtkmm2ext/bindings.h"
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "ardour/audioengine.h"
 #include "ardour/disk_reader.h"
 #include "ardour/disk_writer.h"
+#include "ardour/filesystem_paths.h"
 #include "ardour/plugin_manager.h"
 #include "ardour/route.h"
 #include "ardour/session.h"
@@ -54,6 +56,8 @@
 
 #include "pbd/i18n.h"
 
+static const char* ui_scripts_file_name = "ui_scripts";
+
 namespace LuaCairo {
 /** wrap RefPtr< Cairo::ImageSurface >
  *
@@ -1092,7 +1096,7 @@ LuaInstance::LuaInstance ()
 	lua.Print.connect (&_lua_print);
 	init ();
 
-	LuaScriptParamList args;
+	load_state ();
 }
 
 LuaInstance::~LuaInstance ()
@@ -1266,6 +1270,61 @@ LuaInstance::init ()
 	lua_setglobal (L, "Editor");
 }
 
+int
+LuaInstance::load_state ()
+{
+	std::string uiscripts;
+	if (!find_file (ardour_config_search_path(), ui_scripts_file_name, uiscripts)) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+	XMLTree tree;
+
+	info << string_compose (_("Loading user ui scripts file %1"), uiscripts) << endmsg;
+
+	if (!tree.read (uiscripts)) {
+		error << string_compose(_("cannot read ui scripts file \"%1\""), uiscripts) << endmsg;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (set_state (*tree.root())) {
+		error << string_compose(_("user ui scripts file \"%1\" not loaded successfully."), uiscripts) << endmsg;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int
+LuaInstance::save_state ()
+{
+	if (!_session) {
+		/* action scripts are un-registered with the session */
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	std::string uiscripts = Glib::build_filename (user_config_directory(), ui_scripts_file_name);
+
+	XMLNode* node = new XMLNode (X_("UIScripts"));
+	node->add_child_nocopy (get_action_state ());
+	node->add_child_nocopy (get_hook_state ());
+
+	XMLTree tree;
+	tree.set_root (node);
+
+	if (!tree.write (uiscripts.c_str())){
+		error << string_compose (_("UI script file %1 not saved"), uiscripts) << endmsg;
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void
+LuaInstance::set_dirty ()
+{
+	save_state ();
+	_session->set_dirty (); // XXX is this reasonable?
+}
+
 void LuaInstance::set_session (Session* s)
 {
 	SessionHandlePtr::set_session (s);
@@ -1273,6 +1332,8 @@ void LuaInstance::set_session (Session* s)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	load_state ();
+
 	lua_State* L = lua.getState();
 	LuaBindings::set_session (L, _session);
 
@@ -1537,7 +1598,7 @@ LuaInstance::set_lua_action (
 	} catch (...) {
 		return false;
 	}
-	_session->set_dirty ();
+	set_dirty ();
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -1553,7 +1614,7 @@ LuaInstance::remove_lua_action (const int id)
 		return false;
 	}
 	ActionChanged (id, ""); /* EMIT SIGNAL */
-	_session->set_dirty ();
+	set_dirty ();
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -1678,7 +1739,7 @@ LuaInstance::register_lua_slot (const std::string& name, const std::string& scri
 	} catch (luabridge::LuaException const& e) {
 		cerr << "LuaException:" << e.what () << endl;
 	} catch (...) { }
-	_session->set_dirty ();
+	set_dirty ();
 	return false;
 }
 
@@ -1691,7 +1752,7 @@ LuaInstance::unregister_lua_slot (const PBD::ID& id)
 		_callbacks.erase (i);
 		return true;
 	}
-	_session->set_dirty ();
+	set_dirty ();
 	return false;
 }
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/luainstance.h b/gtk2_ardour/luainstance.h
index d48ab8330a..8f5fb0ba87 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/luainstance.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/luainstance.h
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ public:
 	XMLNode& get_action_state (void);
 	XMLNode& get_hook_state (void);
 
+	int load_state ();
+	int save_state ();
+
 	bool interactive_add (ARDOUR::LuaScriptInfo::ScriptType, int);
 
 	/* actions */
@@ -131,6 +134,7 @@ private:
 	static LuaInstance* _instance;
 
 	void init ();
+	void set_dirty ();
 	void session_going_away ();
 
 	LuaState lua;