diff --git a/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/OcelotDesktop.scala b/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/OcelotDesktop.scala
index 48a1c2e..d202071 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/OcelotDesktop.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/OcelotDesktop.scala
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ package ocelot.desktop
 import li.flor.nativejfilechooser.NativeJFileChooser
 import ocelot.desktop.audio.{Audio, SoundSource}
 import ocelot.desktop.ui.UiHandler
-import ocelot.desktop.ui.widget.{ExitConfirmationDialog, RootWidget, SettingsDialog}
+import ocelot.desktop.ui.widget.{NotificationDialog, ExitConfirmationDialog, RootWidget, SettingsDialog}
 import ocelot.desktop.util.FileUtils.getOcelotConfigDirectory
 import ocelot.desktop.util._
 import org.apache.commons.io.FileUtils
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import totoro.ocelot.brain.nbt.{CompressedStreamTools, NBTTagCompound}
 import totoro.ocelot.brain.workspace.Workspace
 
 import java.io._
-import java.nio.file.{Files, Path}
+import java.nio.file.{Files, Path, Paths}
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.{Lock, ReentrantLock}
 import javax.swing.JFileChooser
 import scala.io.Source
@@ -54,7 +54,14 @@ object OcelotDesktop extends Logging {
 
     setupEventHandlers()
 
-    if (loadRecentWorkspace) load(Settings.get.recentWorkspace.map(new File(_)))
+    if (loadRecentWorkspace) {
+      if (!load(Settings.get.recentWorkspace.map(new File(_)))) {
+        UiHandler.root.modalDialogPool.pushDialog(
+          new NotificationDialog("Could not find the recent workspace...\nI will create a default one"))
+        root.workspaceView.createDefaultWorkspace()
+        Settings.get.recentWorkspace = None
+      }
+    }
 
     new Thread(() => {
       while (true) {
@@ -178,16 +185,20 @@ object OcelotDesktop extends Logging {
     chooseDirectory(load, JFileChooser.OPEN_DIALOG)
   }
 
-  def load(dir: Option[File]): Unit = {
+  def load(dir: Option[File]): Boolean = {
     if (dir.isDefined) {
-      val path = dir.get + "/workspace.nbt"
-      val reader = new DataInputStream(new FileInputStream(path))
-      val nbt = CompressedStreamTools.readCompressed(reader)
-      savePath = Some(dir.get.toPath)
-      Settings.get.recentWorkspace = dir.map(_.getCanonicalPath)
-      workspace.path = dir.get.toPath
-      loadWorld(nbt)
+      val path = Paths.get(dir.get.getCanonicalPath, "workspace.nbt")
+      if (Files.exists(path)) {
+        val reader = new DataInputStream(Files.newInputStream(path))
+        val nbt = CompressedStreamTools.readCompressed(reader)
+        savePath = Some(dir.get.toPath)
+        Settings.get.recentWorkspace = dir.map(_.getCanonicalPath)
+        workspace.path = dir.get.toPath
+        loadWorld(nbt)
+        return true
+      }
     }
+    false
   }
 
   def chooseDirectory(fun: Option[File] => Unit, dialogType: Int): Unit = {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/Settings.scala b/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/Settings.scala
index 9ac4cd0..63253c6 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/Settings.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/Settings.scala
@@ -49,10 +49,8 @@ object Settings extends Logging {
       config.withValue(path, ConfigValueFactory.fromIterable(util.Arrays.asList(value.x, value.y)))
     }
 
-    def withValue(path: String, value: Option[Any]): Config = value match {
-      case Some(data) => config.withValue(path, ConfigValueFactory.fromAnyRef(data))
-      case None => config
-    }
+    def withValue(path: String, value: Option[Any]): Config =
+      config.withValue(path, ConfigValueFactory.fromAnyRef(value.orNull))
   }
 
   class Int2D(var x: Int, var y: Int) {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/ui/widget/NotificationDialog.scala b/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/ui/widget/NotificationDialog.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5beaabc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/ocelot/desktop/ui/widget/NotificationDialog.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package ocelot.desktop.ui.widget
+
+import ocelot.desktop.geometry.Padding2D
+import ocelot.desktop.ui.layout.LinearLayout
+import ocelot.desktop.ui.widget.modal.ModalDialog
+import ocelot.desktop.util.Orientation
+
+class NotificationDialog(message: String) extends ModalDialog {
+  children :+= new PaddingBox(new Widget {
+    override val layout = new LinearLayout(this, orientation = Orientation.Vertical)
+
+    children :++= message.split('\n').map(line => new PaddingBox(new Label {
+      override def text: String = line
+    }, Padding2D(bottom = 8)))
+
+    children :+= new Widget {
+      children :+= new Filler
+
+      children :+= new PaddingBox(new Button {
+        override def text: String = "Ok"
+        override def onClick(): Unit = close()
+      }, Padding2D(right = 8, top = 8))
+    }
+  }, Padding2D.equal(16))
+
+  def onSaveSelected(): Unit = {}
+
+  def onExitSelected(): Unit = {}
+}