diff --git a/eeschema/edit_component_in_schematic.cpp b/eeschema/edit_component_in_schematic.cpp
index d48e093fe8..1b935ea972 100644
--- a/eeschema/edit_component_in_schematic.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/edit_component_in_schematic.cpp
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@ void WinEDA_SchematicFrame::EditComponentFootprint( SCH_COMPONENT* Cmp, wxDC* DC
         return;
 
     SCH_FIELD* TextField = Cmp->GetField( FOOTPRINT );
+    message = TextField->m_Text;
 
     if( Get_Message( _( "Footprint" ), _( "Component footprint" ), message, this ) )
         return;    // edition cancelled by user.
diff --git a/include/wxPcbStruct.h b/include/wxPcbStruct.h
index df35a00726..3c1f08de4c 100644
--- a/include/wxPcbStruct.h
+++ b/include/wxPcbStruct.h
@@ -496,18 +496,19 @@ public:
     void OnFileHistory( wxCommandEvent& event );
     void Files_io( wxCommandEvent& event );
 
-    /**
+    /** Function LoadOnePcbFile
      *  Load a Kicad board (.brd) file.
      *
      *  @param aFileName - File name including path. If empty, a file dialog will
      *                     be displayed.
      *  @param aAppend - Append board file aFileName to the currently loaded file if true.
+     *                   Default = false.
      *  @param aForceFileDialog - Display the file open dialog even if aFullFileName is
-     *                            valid if true.
+     *                            valid if true; Default = false.
      *
      *  @return False if file load fails or is cancelled by the user, otherwise true.
      */
-    bool LoadOnePcbFile( const wxString& aFileName, bool aAppend,
+    bool LoadOnePcbFile( const wxString& aFileName, bool aAppend = false,
                          bool aForceFileDialog = false );
 
 
diff --git a/kicad/kicad.cpp b/kicad/kicad.cpp
index 5daa744fcb..7657bd6742 100644
--- a/kicad/kicad.cpp
+++ b/kicad/kicad.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "build_version.h"
 
+const wxString g_KicadPrjFilenameExtension(wxT(".pro") );
 
 /* Import functions */
 char* GetFileName( char* FullPathName );
diff --git a/kicad/kicad.h b/kicad/kicad.h
index dfca700bab..4c3680044a 100644
--- a/kicad/kicad.h
+++ b/kicad/kicad.h
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 #include "wxstruct.h"
 #include "appl_wxstruct.h"
 
+extern const wxString g_KicadPrjFilenameExtension;
+
 class RIGHT_KM_FRAME;
 class TREEPROJECTFILES;
 class TREE_PROJECT_FRAME;
diff --git a/kicad/prjconfig.cpp b/kicad/prjconfig.cpp
index 726fad14ce..992dc3caa1 100644
--- a/kicad/prjconfig.cpp
+++ b/kicad/prjconfig.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ void WinEDA_MainFrame::CreateNewProject( const wxString PrjFullFileName )
     wxFileName newProjectName = PrjFullFileName;
 
     /* Init default config filename */
-    filename = wxGetApp().FindLibraryPath( wxT( "kicad.pro" ) );
+    filename = wxGetApp().FindLibraryPath( wxT( "kicad" ) + g_KicadPrjFilenameExtension);
 
     /* Check if file kicad.pro exist in template directory */
     if( wxFileName::FileExists( filename ) )
@@ -86,7 +86,16 @@ void WinEDA_MainFrame::OnLoadProject( wxCommandEvent& event )
         m_ProjectFileName = dlg.GetPath();
 
         if( event.GetId() == ID_NEW_PROJECT )
+        {
+            // Ensure project filename extension is .pro
+            wxString fullname = m_ProjectFileName.GetFullPath();
+            if ( !fullname.EndsWith( g_KicadPrjFilenameExtension ) )
+            {
+                fullname += g_KicadPrjFilenameExtension;
+                m_ProjectFileName.SetFullName( fullname );
+            }
             CreateNewProject( m_ProjectFileName.GetFullPath() );
+        }
 
         SetLastProject( m_ProjectFileName.GetFullPath() );
     }
@@ -98,7 +107,7 @@ void WinEDA_MainFrame::OnLoadProject( wxCommandEvent& event )
     wxString filename = m_ProjectFileName.GetFullName();
 
     wxString nameless_prj = NAMELESS_PROJECT;
-    nameless_prj += wxT(".pro");
+    nameless_prj += g_KicadPrjFilenameExtension;
     if( !m_ProjectFileName.FileExists() && !filename.IsSameAs(nameless_prj))
     {
         DisplayError( this, _( "Kicad project file <" ) +
diff --git a/kicad/tree_project_frame.cpp b/kicad/tree_project_frame.cpp
index 93aef35020..044f6e0a1e 100644
--- a/kicad/tree_project_frame.cpp
+++ b/kicad/tree_project_frame.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 /* Note about the tree project build process:
  * Building the tree project can be *very* long if there are a lot of subdirectories
  * in the working directory.
- * Unfornately, this happens easily if the project file *.pro is in the home directory
+ * Unfortunately, this happens easily if the project file *.pro is in the home directory
  * So the tree project is built "on demand":
  * First the tree is built from the current directory and shows files and subdirs.
  *   > First level subdirs trees are built (i.e subdirs contents are not read)
diff --git a/pcbnew/files.cpp b/pcbnew/files.cpp
index b6505249b8..5b902b7789 100644
--- a/pcbnew/files.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/files.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ void WinEDA_PcbFrame::OnFileHistory( wxCommandEvent& event )
     {
         DrawPanel->UnManageCursor( 0, wxCURSOR_ARROW );
         ::wxSetWorkingDirectory( ::wxPathOnly( fn ) );
-        LoadOnePcbFile( fn, false );
+        LoadOnePcbFile( fn );
         ReCreateAuxiliaryToolbar();
         DrawPanel->MouseToCursorSchema();
     }
@@ -114,6 +114,18 @@ void WinEDA_PcbFrame::Files_io( wxCommandEvent& event )
 }
 
 
+/** Function WinEDA_PcbFrame::LoadOnePcbFile
+ *  Load a Kicad board (.brd) file.
+ *
+ *  @param aFileName - File name including path. If empty, a file dialog will
+ *                     be displayed.
+ *  @param aAppend - Append board file aFileName to the currently loaded file if true.
+ *                   Default = false.
+ *  @param aForceFileDialog - Display the file open dialog even if aFullFileName is
+ *                            valid if true; Default = false.
+ *
+ *  @return False if file load fails or is cancelled by the user, otherwise true.
+ */
 bool WinEDA_PcbFrame::LoadOnePcbFile( const wxString& aFileName, bool Append,
                                       bool aForceFileDialog )
 {
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp b/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp
index cfc329d084..728a7ac485 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp
@@ -154,13 +154,31 @@ Changing extension to .brd." ), GetChars( fn.GetFullPath() ) );
     /* Load file specified in the command line. */
     if( fn.IsOk() )
     {
-        frame->LoadOnePcbFile( fn.GetFullPath(), FALSE );
+        /* Note the first time Pcbnew is called after creating a new project
+         * the board file may not exists
+         * So we load settings only
+        */
+        if( fn.FileExists() )
+            frame->LoadOnePcbFile( fn.GetFullPath() );
+        else
+        {   // File does not exists: prepare an empty board
+            wxSetWorkingDirectory( fn.GetPath() );
+            frame->GetScreen()->m_FileName = fn.GetFullPath();
+            frame->GetScreen()->m_FileName.Replace( WIN_STRING_DIR_SEP, UNIX_STRING_DIR_SEP );
+            frame->SetTitle( frame->GetScreen()->m_FileName );
+            frame->SetLastProject( frame->GetScreen()->m_FileName );
+            frame->OnModify();  // Ready to save the new empty board
 
-        // update the layer names in the listbox
-        frame->ReCreateLayerBox( NULL );
+            wxString msg;
+            msg.Printf( _( "File <%s> not existing\nThis is normal for a new project" ),
+                GetChars( frame->GetScreen()->m_FileName ) );
+            wxMessageBox( msg );
+        }
     }
 
     frame->LoadProjectSettings( fn.GetFullPath() );
+    // update the layer names in the listbox
+    frame->ReCreateLayerBox( NULL );
 
     /* For an obscure reason the focus is lost after loading a board file
      * when starting (i.e. only at this point)