diff --git a/plugins/sidebar/file-list.js b/plugins/sidebar/file-list.js
index 6e99345..220e197 100644
--- a/plugins/sidebar/file-list.js
+++ b/plugins/sidebar/file-list.js
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ const FileList = React.createClass({
   componentWillUnmount: function(){
     if(this.remove_nextFile) {
      this.remove_nextFile();
-    }; 
+    };
     if(this.remove_previousFile) {
      this.remove_previousFile();
-    }; 
+    };
   },
   previousFile: function(){
     this.changeFile({ direction: 'prev' });
@@ -24,17 +24,17 @@ const FileList = React.createClass({
     this.changeFile({ direction: 'next' });
   },
   changeFile: function(move) {
-    const space = this.props.workspace;
-    const filename = space.filename.deref();
+    const { workspace, loadFile } = this.props;
+    const filename = workspace.filename.deref();
 
-    space.directory.forEach(function(x, i) {
+    workspace.directory.forEach(function(x, i) {
       if(x.get('name') === filename) {
-        if(i === space.directory.size - 1) {
+        if(i === workspace.directory.size - 1) {
           i = -1;
         }
         const shift = move.direction === 'prev' ? i - 1 : i + 1;
-        const switchFile = space.directory.getIn([shift, 'name']);
-        space.loadFile(switchFile);
+        const switchFile = workspace.directory.getIn([shift, 'name']);
+        loadFile(switchFile);
       }
     });
   },
diff --git a/plugins/sidebar/file-operations.js b/plugins/sidebar/file-operations.js
index e052a9c..c544e1d 100644
--- a/plugins/sidebar/file-operations.js
+++ b/plugins/sidebar/file-operations.js
@@ -40,18 +40,17 @@ const FileOperations = React.createClass({
       .catch(this.handleError);
   },
   createFile: function(name){
-    const space = this.props.workspace;
-    const overlay = this.props.overlay;
+    const { workspace, overlay, loadFile } = this.props;
 
     if(!name){
       return;
     }
 
-    space.filename.update(() => name);
-    space.current.update(() => '');
+    workspace.filename.update(() => name);
+    workspace.current.update(() => '');
     // TODO: these should transparently accept cursors for all non-function params
-    space.saveFile(space.filename.deref(), space.current)
-      .tap(() => this.handleSuccess(`'${name}' created successfully`))
+    workspace.saveFile(workspace.filename.deref(), workspace.current)
+      .tap(() => loadFile(name, () => this.handleSuccess(`'${name}' created successfully`)))
       .catch(this.handleError)
       .finally(overlay.hide);
   },
@@ -160,10 +159,10 @@ const FileOperations = React.createClass({
   componentWillUnmount: function(){
     if(this.remove_saveFile) {
      this.remove_saveFile();
-    }; 
+    };
     if(this.remove_closeDialog) {
      this.remove_closeDialog();
-    }; 
+    };
   },
   render: function(){
     return (
diff --git a/plugins/sidebar/file.js b/plugins/sidebar/file.js
index 95bdbd0..fd57aa5 100644
--- a/plugins/sidebar/file.js
+++ b/plugins/sidebar/file.js
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ const styles = require('./styles');
 
 const File = React.createClass({
   openFile: function(filename){
-    const space = this.props.workspace;
-    space.loadFile(filename);
+    const { loadFile, config } = this.props;
+    loadFile(filename);
   },
   render: function(){
     const { filename, temp } = this.props;
diff --git a/plugins/sidebar/index.js b/plugins/sidebar/index.js
index 44eeb51..eb44c42 100644
--- a/plugins/sidebar/index.js
+++ b/plugins/sidebar/index.js
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ const File = require('./file');
 const FileOperations = require('./file-operations');
 const ProjectOperations = require('./project-operations');
 
+function noop(){}
+
 function sidebar(app, opts, done){
 
   const space = app.workspace;
@@ -18,6 +20,23 @@ function sidebar(app, opts, done){
   const logger = app.logger;
   const irken = app;
 
+  function loadFile(filename, cb = noop){
+    if(filename){
+      space.loadFile(filename, (err) => {
+        if(err){
+          cb(err);
+          return;
+        }
+
+        userConfig.set('last-file', filename);
+
+        cb();
+      });
+    } else {
+      cb();
+    }
+  }
+
   app.view('sidebar', function(el, cb){
     console.log('sidebar render');
     const directory = space.directory;
@@ -25,11 +44,11 @@ function sidebar(app, opts, done){
     const Component = (
       <Sidebar>
         <ProjectOperations workspace={space} overlay={overlay} config={userConfig} />
-        <FileList workspace={space}>
+        <FileList workspace={space} loadFile={loadFile}>
           <ListItem icon="folder" disableRipple>{space.cwd.deref()}</ListItem>
-          {directory.map((file) => <File key={file.get('name')} workspace={space} filename={file.get('name')} temp={file.get('temp')} />)}
+          {directory.map((file) => <File key={file.get('name')} filename={file.get('name')} temp={file.get('temp')} loadFile={loadFile} />)}
         </FileList>
-        <FileOperations workspace={space} overlay={overlay} toast={toast} irken={irken} logger={logger} />
+        <FileOperations workspace={space} overlay={overlay} toast={toast} irken={irken} logger={logger} loadFile={loadFile} />
       </Sidebar>
     );
 
@@ -37,8 +56,9 @@ function sidebar(app, opts, done){
   });
 
   const cwd = userConfig.get('cwd') || opts.defaultProject;
+  const lastFile = userConfig.get('last-file');
 
-  space.changeDir(cwd, done);
+  space.changeDir(cwd, () => loadFile(lastFile, done));
 }
 
 module.exports = sidebar;