diff --git a/src/globals.c b/src/globals.c
index 5fee5b83..05d92b97 100644
--- a/src/globals.c
+++ b/src/globals.c
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ xcb_visualtype_t *visual_xcb;
 /* these variables are mirrored in tcl code */
 int fullscreen=0;
 char *netlist_dir=NULL; /* user set netlist directory via cmd-option or menu or xschemrc */
+char initial_netlist_name[PATH_MAX]={0};
 int top_subckt = 0;
 int spiceprefix = 1;
 int unzoom_nodrift=1;
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index d7a94b08..e34dc441 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ void check_opt(char *opt, char *optval, int type)
 
     } else if( (type == SHORT && *opt == 'N') || (type == LONG && !strcmp("netlist_filename", opt)) ) {
         dbg(1, "process_options(): set netlist name to %s\n", optval);
-        if(optval) my_strncpy(xctx->netlist_name, optval, S(xctx->netlist_name));
+        if(optval) my_strncpy(initial_netlist_name, optval, S(initial_netlist_name));
 
     } else if( (type == SHORT && *opt == 's') || (type == LONG && !strcmp("spice", opt)) ) {
         dbg(1, "process_options(): set netlist type to spice\n");
diff --git a/src/spice_netlist.c b/src/spice_netlist.c
index 6540f4d6..fb6bc42e 100644
--- a/src/spice_netlist.c
+++ b/src/spice_netlist.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ void global_spice_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
  fd=fopen(netl_filename, "w");
 
  if(xctx->netlist_name[0]) {
-   my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s", get_cell(xctx->netlist_name, 0));
+   my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s", get_cell_w_ext(xctx->netlist_name, 0));
  } else {
    my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s.spice", skip_dir(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]));
  }
diff --git a/src/tedax_netlist.c b/src/tedax_netlist.c
index a5d28c4a..306463e0 100644
--- a/src/tedax_netlist.c
+++ b/src/tedax_netlist.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ void global_tedax_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
  fd=fopen(netl_filename, "w");
 
  if(xctx->netlist_name[0]) {
-   my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s", get_cell(xctx->netlist_name, 0));
+   my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s", get_cell_w_ext(xctx->netlist_name, 0));
  } else {
    my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s.tdx", skip_dir(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]));
  }
diff --git a/src/verilog_netlist.c b/src/verilog_netlist.c
index cf7591d3..8ae900db 100644
--- a/src/verilog_netlist.c
+++ b/src/verilog_netlist.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ void global_verilog_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
  fd=fopen(netl_filename, "w");
 
  if(xctx->netlist_name[0]) {
-   my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s", get_cell(xctx->netlist_name, 0));
+   my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s", get_cell_w_ext(xctx->netlist_name, 0));
  } else {
    my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s.v", skip_dir(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]));
  }
diff --git a/src/vhdl_netlist.c b/src/vhdl_netlist.c
index ef616e77..afba621d 100644
--- a/src/vhdl_netlist.c
+++ b/src/vhdl_netlist.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ void global_vhdl_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
 
 
  if(xctx->netlist_name[0]) {
-   my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s", get_cell(xctx->netlist_name, 0));
+   my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s", get_cell_w_ext(xctx->netlist_name, 0));
  } else {
    my_snprintf(cellname, S(cellname), "%s.vhdl", skip_dir(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]));
  }
diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index d0f4415f..45e7bf06 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -1567,6 +1567,7 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
  if(!set_netlist_dir(0, NULL)) {
    fprintf(errfp, "problems creating netlist directory %s\n", netlist_dir ? netlist_dir : "<NULL>");
  }
+ if(initial_netlist_name[0]) my_strncpy(xctx->netlist_name, initial_netlist_name, S(initial_netlist_name));
 
  enable_layers();
 
diff --git a/src/xschem.h b/src/xschem.h
index cc74378d..8a525d95 100644
--- a/src/xschem.h
+++ b/src/xschem.h
@@ -754,6 +754,7 @@ extern int currentsch;
 extern char *xschem_version_string;
 extern int split_files;
 extern char *netlist_dir;
+extern char initial_netlist_name[PATH_MAX];
 extern char bus_char[];
 extern int max_undo;
 extern int draw_dots;