diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index a9dfe95f3f..ba7abc1019 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -4297,6 +4297,30 @@ ARDOUR_UI::mixer_settings () const
 	return node;
 }
 
+XMLNode*
+ARDOUR_UI::main_window_settings () const
+{
+	XMLNode* node = 0;
+
+	if (_session) {
+		node = _session->instant_xml(X_("Main"));
+	} else {
+		node = Config->instant_xml(X_("Main"));
+	}
+
+	if (!node) {
+		if (getenv("ARDOUR_INSTANT_XML_PATH")) {
+			node = Config->instant_xml(getenv("ARDOUR_INSTANT_XML_PATH"));
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (!node) {
+		node = new XMLNode (X_("Main"));
+	}
+
+	return node;
+}
+
 XMLNode*
 ARDOUR_UI::editor_settings () const
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
index 7b6c6f9e21..a18703249f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI, public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr
 	static void close_all_dialogs () { CloseAllDialogs(); }
         static sigc::signal<void> CloseAllDialogs;
 
+	XMLNode* main_window_settings() const;
 	XMLNode* editor_settings() const;
 	XMLNode* mixer_settings () const;
 	XMLNode* keyboard_settings () const;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui2.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui2.cc
index 6205272c4b..b7ec0ed0e9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui2.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui2.cc
@@ -142,8 +142,46 @@ ARDOUR_UI::setup_windows ()
 	
 	_main_window.add (main_vpacker);
 	transport_frame.show_all ();
-	_main_window.show_all ();
 
+	const XMLNode* mnode = main_window_settings ();
+
+	if (mnode) {
+		const XMLProperty* prop;
+		gint x = -1;
+		gint y = -1;
+		gint w = -1;
+		gint h = -1;
+
+		if ((prop = mnode->property (X_("x"))) != 0) {
+			x = atoi (prop->value());
+		}
+
+		if ((prop = mnode->property (X_("y"))) != 0) {
+			y = atoi (prop->value());
+		} 
+
+		if ((prop = mnode->property (X_("w"))) != 0) {
+			w = atoi (prop->value());
+		} 
+		
+		if ((prop = mnode->property (X_("h"))) != 0) {
+			h = atoi (prop->value());
+		}
+
+		if (x >= 0 && y >= 0 && w >= 0 && h >= 0) {
+			_main_window.set_position (Gtk::WIN_POS_NONE);
+		}
+		
+		if (x >= 0 && y >= 0) {
+			_main_window.move (x, y);
+		}
+		
+		if (w > 0 && h > 0) {
+			_main_window.set_default_size (w, h);
+		}
+	}
+	
+	_main_window.show_all ();
 	setup_toplevel_window (_main_window, "", this);
 	
 	rc_option_editor = new RCOptionEditor;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
index 20d2153005..8564cf1f1d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
@@ -637,6 +637,18 @@ ARDOUR_UI::save_ardour_state ()
 	XMLNode* window_node = new XMLNode (X_("UI"));
 	window_node->add_property (_status_bar_visibility.get_state_name().c_str(), _status_bar_visibility.get_state_value ());
 
+	/* main window */
+
+	gint mx, my, mw, mh;
+	_main_window.get_position (mx, my);
+	_main_window.get_size (mw, mh);
+
+	XMLNode main_window_node (X_("Main"));
+	main_window_node.add_property (X_("x"), PBD::to_string (mx, std::dec));
+	main_window_node.add_property (X_("y"), PBD::to_string (my, std::dec));
+	main_window_node.add_property (X_("w"), PBD::to_string (mw, std::dec));
+	main_window_node.add_property (X_("h"), PBD::to_string (mh, std::dec));
+
 	/* Windows */
 
 	WM::Manager::instance().add_state (*window_node);
@@ -677,6 +689,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::save_ardour_state ()
 	UIConfiguration::instance().save_state ();
 
 	if (_session) {
+		_session->add_instant_xml (main_window_node);
 		_session->add_instant_xml (enode);
 		_session->add_instant_xml (mnode);
 		_session->add_instant_xml (bnode);
@@ -684,6 +697,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::save_ardour_state ()
 			_session->add_instant_xml (location_ui->ui().get_state ());
 		}
 	} else {
+		Config->add_instant_xml (main_window_node);
 		Config->add_instant_xml (enode);
 		Config->add_instant_xml (mnode);
 		Config->add_instant_xml (bnode);