diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/modemanager.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/modemanager.cpp
index a725363f878c109510d1a2cf6f29f11485a53d0a..dd53a911f896e72fe573ccb6176b6e893377e8b9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/modemanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/modemanager.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ ModeManager *ModeManager::m_instance = 0;
 ModeManager::ModeManager(Internal::MainWindow *mainWindow, FancyTabWidget *modeStack) :
     m_mainWindow(mainWindow),
     m_modeStack(modeStack),
-    m_signalMapper(new QSignalMapper(this))
+    m_signalMapper(new QSignalMapper(this)),
+    m_oldCurrent(-1)
+
 {
     m_instance = this;
 
@@ -247,7 +249,11 @@ void ModeManager::currentTabChanged(int index)
         m_addedContexts = mode->context();
         foreach (const int context, m_addedContexts)
             core->addAdditionalContext(context);
-        emit currentModeChanged(mode);
+        IMode *oldMode = 0;
+        if (m_oldCurrent >= 0)
+            oldMode = m_modes.at(m_oldCurrent);
+        m_oldCurrent = index;
+        emit currentModeChanged(mode, oldMode);
         core->updateContext();
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/modemanager.h b/src/plugins/coreplugin/modemanager.h
index f33ac7dba2b410eaf543b1f2868834e85b893232..ed2d8eba8c17edd49cfce0cc86fffe38850f9e7c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/modemanager.h
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/modemanager.h
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ public:
 
 signals:
     void currentModeAboutToChange(Core::IMode *mode);
-    void currentModeChanged(Core::IMode *mode);
+
+    // the default argument '=0' is important for connects without the oldMode argument.
+    void currentModeChanged(Core::IMode *mode, Core::IMode *oldMode = 0);
 
 public slots:
     void activateMode(const QString &id);
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ private:
     QVector<Command*> m_modeShortcuts;
     QSignalMapper *m_signalMapper;
     QList<int> m_addedContexts;
+    int m_oldCurrent;
 };
 
 } // namespace Core
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
index 19589ac257370972850cde145ac138ed92691b96..7135b142d9d1da16682300f9b0cd0bfdbfe7be71 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
@@ -1140,9 +1140,13 @@ void ProjectExplorerPlugin::updateWelcomePage()
     d->m_welcomePage->updateWelcomePage(welcomePageData);
 }
 
-void ProjectExplorerPlugin::currentModeChanged(Core::IMode *)
+void ProjectExplorerPlugin::currentModeChanged(Core::IMode *mode, Core::IMode *oldMode)
 {
+    if (mode && mode->id() == QLatin1String(Core::Constants::MODE_WELCOME))
         updateWelcomePage();
+    if (oldMode == d->m_projectsMode) {
+        savePersistentSettings();
+    }
 }
 
 void ProjectExplorerPlugin::determineSessionToRestoreAtStartup()
@@ -1189,7 +1193,8 @@ void ProjectExplorerPlugin::restoreSession()
 
     // update welcome page
     Core::ModeManager *modeManager = Core::ModeManager::instance();
-    connect(modeManager, SIGNAL(currentModeChanged(Core::IMode*)), this, SLOT(currentModeChanged(Core::IMode*)));
+    connect(modeManager, SIGNAL(currentModeChanged(Core::IMode*, Core::IMode*)),
+            this, SLOT(currentModeChanged(Core::IMode*, Core::IMode*)));
     connect(d->m_welcomePage, SIGNAL(requestSession(QString)), this, SLOT(loadSession(QString)));
     connect(d->m_welcomePage, SIGNAL(requestProject(QString)), this, SLOT(loadProject(QString)));
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.h
index c3a0a38e74eac1d7a598c14bb4c854c8a545ef35..e964ce8b4b85b9cad6babe837925967fc66f58d1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.h
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ private slots:
     void addErrorToApplicationOutputWindow(RunControl *, const QString &error);
 
     void loadProject(const QString &project) { openProject(project); }
-    void currentModeChanged(Core::IMode *mode);
+    void currentModeChanged(Core::IMode *mode, Core::IMode *oldMode);
     void updateActions();
 
 private: