diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/laySaveLayoutOptionsDialog.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/laySaveLayoutOptionsDialog.cc
index cea3c6c11..b17c6e208 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/laySaveLayoutOptionsDialog.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/laySaveLayoutOptionsDialog.cc
@@ -191,9 +191,20 @@ SaveLayoutOptionsDialog::commit ()
 
   //  create the particular options for all formats
   for (std::vector< std::pair<StreamWriterOptionsPage *, std::string> >::iterator page = m_pages.begin (); page != m_pages.end (); ++page) {
+
     if (page->first) {
-      page->first->commit (m_opt_array [m_technology_index].get_options (page->second), m_tech_array [m_technology_index], false);
+
+      db::FormatSpecificWriterOptions *specific_options = m_opt_array [m_technology_index].get_options (page->second);
+      if (! specific_options) {
+        //  Create a container for the options unless there is one already
+        specific_options = StreamWriterPluginDeclaration::plugin_for_format (page->second)->create_specific_options ();
+        m_opt_array [m_technology_index].set_options (specific_options);
+      }
+
+      page->first->commit (specific_options, m_tech_array [m_technology_index], false);
+
     }
+
   }
 }
 
@@ -206,7 +217,14 @@ SaveLayoutOptionsDialog::update ()
 
   for (std::vector< std::pair<StreamWriterOptionsPage *, std::string> >::iterator page = m_pages.begin (); page != m_pages.end (); ++page) {
     if (page->first) {
-      page->first->setup (m_opt_array [m_technology_index].get_options (page->second), m_tech_array [m_technology_index]);
+      db::FormatSpecificWriterOptions *specific_options = m_opt_array [m_technology_index].get_options (page->second);
+      if (! specific_options) {
+        //  Create a container for the options unless there is one already
+        std::auto_ptr<db::FormatSpecificWriterOptions> new_options (StreamWriterPluginDeclaration::plugin_for_format (page->second)->create_specific_options ());
+        page->first->setup (new_options.get (), m_tech_array [m_technology_index]);
+      } else {
+        page->first->setup (specific_options, m_tech_array [m_technology_index]);
+      }
     }
   }
 }
@@ -256,6 +274,10 @@ SaveLayoutOptionsDialog::edit_global_options (lay::PluginRoot *config_root, lay:
       technologies->begin ()[i].set_save_layout_options (m_opt_array [i]);
     }
 
+    //  TODO: this call is required currently because otherwise the technology
+    //  management subsystem does not notice the changes of technologies.
+    technologies->notify_technologies_changed ();
+
     return true;
 
   } else {
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layTechnology.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layTechnology.cc
index 9e4c15bcb..e5ae729c6 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layTechnology.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layTechnology.cc
@@ -184,6 +184,12 @@ Technologies::end_updates ()
   }
 }
 
+void
+Technologies::notify_technologies_changed ()
+{
+  technologies_changed ();
+}
+
 void
 Technologies::end_updates_no_event ()
 {
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layTechnology.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layTechnology.h
index ff28f3eaf..78e45f6b5 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layTechnology.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layTechnology.h
@@ -157,6 +157,15 @@ public:
    */
   void end_updates_no_event ();
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Notifies the system of changes in technologies
+   *  For performance reasons, changes inside a technology are not propagated to
+   *  the system directly. Only bulk changes (such as adding or removing technologies
+   *  are). To inform the system of individual technology updates, call this method
+   *  after a technology or multiple technologies have been changed.
+   */
+  void notify_technologies_changed ();
+
   /**
    *  @brief Checks, if a technology with the given name exists
    */