diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index 972c901d..f221f290 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -1452,7 +1452,6 @@ static void create_new_window(int *window_count, const char *noconfirm, const ch
       save_xctx[i] = NULL;
       my_strncpy(window_path[i], "", S(window_path[i]));
     }
-    tclvareval("save_ctx ", xctx->current_win_path, NULL);
     save_xctx[0] = xctx; /* save current schematic */
     /* window_path[0] = Tk_NameToWindow(interp, ".drw", mainwindow); */
     my_strncpy(window_path[0], xctx->current_win_path, S(window_path[0]));
@@ -1461,6 +1460,7 @@ static void create_new_window(int *window_count, const char *noconfirm, const ch
     dbg(0, "new_schematic(\"create\"...): no more free slots\n");
     return; /* no more free slots */
   }
+  tclvareval("save_ctx ", xctx->current_win_path, NULL);
   (*window_count)++;
   tclvareval("[xschem get top_path].menubar.simulate configure -bg $simulate_bg", NULL);
   tcleval(".menubar.view.menu entryconfigure {Tabbed interface} -state disabled");
@@ -1545,7 +1545,6 @@ static void create_new_tab(int *window_count, const char *noconfirm, const char
       save_xctx[i] = NULL;
       my_strncpy(window_path[i], "", S(window_path[i]));
     }
-    tclvareval("save_ctx ", xctx->current_win_path, NULL);
     save_xctx[0] = xctx; /* save current schematic */
     my_strncpy(window_path[0], xctx->current_win_path, S(window_path[0]));
   }
@@ -1553,6 +1552,7 @@ static void create_new_tab(int *window_count, const char *noconfirm, const char
     dbg(0, "new_schematic(\"new_tab\"...): no more free slots\n");
     return; /* no more free slots */
   }
+  tclvareval("save_ctx ", xctx->current_win_path, NULL);
   (*window_count)++;
   tclvareval("[xschem get top_path].menubar.simulate configure -bg $simulate_bg", NULL);
   tcleval(".menubar.view.menu entryconfigure {Tabbed interface} -state disabled");
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index 6b41fda3..b8daaf39 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -5511,6 +5511,12 @@ proc restore_ctx {context} {
   }
 }
 
+
+# context is saved in array variable in tctx:: namespace.
+# to get list of array names: 
+#   array names  tctx::.drw
+#   array names  tctx::.x1.drw
+#   .....
 proc save_ctx {context} {
   global has_x
   if {![info exists has_x]} {return}
@@ -6275,11 +6281,20 @@ proc set_initial_dirs {} {
   }
 }
 
+# called whenever XSCHEM_LUBRARY_PATH changes (see trace command at end) 
+proc trace_set_paths {varname idxname op} {
+  if {$varname eq {XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH} } {
+    # puts stderr "executing set_paths after XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH change"
+    uplevel #0 set_paths
+  }
+}
+
 # when XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH is changed call this function to refresh and cache
 # new library search path.
 proc set_paths {} {
   global XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH env pathlist OS add_all_windows_drives
   set pathlist {}
+  # puts stderr "caching search paths"
   if { [info exists XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH] } {
     if {$OS == "Windows"} {
       set pathlist_orig [split $XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH \;]
@@ -6733,3 +6748,6 @@ if { $show_infowindow } { wm deiconify .infotext }
 setup_tcp_xschem
 setup_tcp_bespice
 
+# automatically build pathlist whenever XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH changes
+trace add variable XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH write trace_set_paths
+