diff --git a/include/wxPcbStruct.h b/include/wxPcbStruct.h
index b1b2a0eaf5..887e7f3075 100644
--- a/include/wxPcbStruct.h
+++ b/include/wxPcbStruct.h
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ namespace PCB { struct IFACE; }     // KIFACE_I is in pcbnew.cpp
  */
 #define PCB_EDIT_FRAME_NAME wxT( "PcbFrame" )
 
+
 class PCB_EDIT_FRAME : public PCB_BASE_EDIT_FRAME
 {
     friend struct PCB::IFACE;
@@ -224,6 +225,13 @@ public:
 
     void OnQuit( wxCommandEvent& event );
 
+    /**
+     * Function GetAutoSaveFilePrefix
+     *
+     * @return the string to prepend to a file name for automatic save.
+     */
+    static wxString GetAutoSaveFilePrefix();
+
     /**
      * Execute a remote command send by Eeschema via a socket,
      * port KICAD_PCB_PORT_SERVICE_NUMBER (currently 4242)
diff --git a/pcbnew/files.cpp b/pcbnew/files.cpp
index 5ee6471877..a560a2f3f9 100644
--- a/pcbnew/files.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/files.cpp
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * This program source code file is part of KiCad, a free EDA CAD application.
  *
  * Copyright (C) 2004-2015 Jean-Pierre Charras, jp.charras at wanadoo.fr
- * Copyright (C) 2011-2015 Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@verizon.net>
+ * Copyright (C) 2011-2016 Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@verizon.net>
  * Copyright (C) 2016 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@ static const wxChar backupSuffix[]   = wxT( "-bak" );
 static const wxChar autosavePrefix[] = wxT( "_autosave-" );
 
 
+wxString PCB_EDIT_FRAME::GetAutoSaveFilePrefix()
+{
+    return wxString( autosavePrefix );
+}
+
+
 /**
  * Function AskLoadBoardFileName
  * puts up a wxFileDialog asking for a BOARD filename to open.
@@ -809,7 +815,7 @@ bool PCB_EDIT_FRAME::SavePcbCopy( const wxString& aFileName )
     }
 
     DisplayInfoMessage( this, wxString::Format( _( "Board copied to:\n'%s'" ),
-                                GetChars( pcbFileName.GetFullPath() ) ) );
+                                                GetChars( pcbFileName.GetFullPath() ) ) );
 
     return true;
 }
@@ -817,19 +823,40 @@ bool PCB_EDIT_FRAME::SavePcbCopy( const wxString& aFileName )
 
 bool PCB_EDIT_FRAME::doAutoSave()
 {
-    wxFileName tmpFileName = Prj().AbsolutePath( GetBoard()->GetFileName() );
-    wxFileName fn = tmpFileName;
+    wxFileName tmpFileName;
 
-    // Auto save file name is the normal file name prepended with
-    // autosaveFilePrefix string.
-    fn.SetName( wxString( autosavePrefix ) + fn.GetName() );
+    if( GetBoard()->GetFileName().IsEmpty() )
+    {
+        tmpFileName = wxFileName( wxStandardPaths::Get().GetDocumentsDir(), wxT( "noname" ),
+                                  KiCadPcbFileExtension );
+        GetBoard()->SetFileName( tmpFileName.GetFullPath() );
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        tmpFileName = Prj().AbsolutePath( GetBoard()->GetFileName() );
+    }
 
-    wxLogTrace( traceAutoSave,
-                wxT( "Creating auto save file <" + fn.GetFullPath() ) + wxT( ">" ) );
+    wxFileName autoSaveFileName = tmpFileName;
 
-    if( !fn.IsOk() )
+    // Auto save file name is the board file name prepended with autosaveFilePrefix string.
+    autoSaveFileName.SetName( wxString( autosavePrefix ) + autoSaveFileName.GetName() );
+
+    if( !autoSaveFileName.IsOk() )
         return false;
-    else if( SavePcbFile( fn.GetFullPath(), NO_BACKUP_FILE ) )
+
+    // If the board file path is not writable, try writing to a platform specific temp file
+    // path.  If that path isn't writabe, give up.
+    if( !autoSaveFileName.IsDirWritable() )
+    {
+        autoSaveFileName.SetPath( wxFileName::GetTempDir() );
+
+        if( !autoSaveFileName.IsOk() || !autoSaveFileName.IsDirWritable() )
+            return false;
+    }
+
+    wxLogTrace( traceAutoSave, "Creating auto save file <" + autoSaveFileName.GetFullPath() + ">" );
+
+    if( SavePcbFile( autoSaveFileName.GetFullPath(), NO_BACKUP_FILE ) )
     {
         GetScreen()->SetModify();
         GetBoard()->SetFileName( tmpFileName.GetFullPath() );
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcbframe.cpp b/pcbnew/pcbframe.cpp
index 967737732b..89405495c6 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcbframe.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcbframe.cpp
@@ -605,8 +605,15 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::OnCloseWindow( wxCloseEvent& Event )
     // Delete the auto save file if it exists.
     wxFileName fn = GetBoard()->GetFileName();
 
-    // Auto save file name is the normal file name prefixed with a '$'.
-    fn.SetName( wxT( "$" ) + fn.GetName() );
+    // Auto save file name is the normal file name prefixed with '_autosave'.
+    fn.SetName( GetAutoSaveFilePrefix() + fn.GetName() );
+
+    // When the auto save feature does not have write access to the board file path, it falls
+    // back to a platform specific user temporary file path.
+    if( !fn.IsOk() || !fn.IsDirWritable() )
+        fn.SetPath( wxFileName::GetTempDir() );
+
+    wxLogTrace( traceAutoSave, "Deleting auto save file <" + fn.GetFullPath() + ">" );
 
     // Remove the auto save file on a normal close of Pcbnew.
     if( fn.FileExists() && !wxRemoveFile( fn.GetFullPath() ) )