diff --git a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
index b1730bba..2475f0de 100644
--- a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
+++ b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
@@ -608,6 +608,14 @@ C {verilog_timescale.sym} 1050 -100 0 0 {name=s1 timestep="1ns" precision="1ns"
    if descended into a vector instance change inst number we are into to 'n',
    (same rules as 'descend' command) without going up and descending again
    if 'draw' string is given redraw screen </pre>
+   <li><kbd>       check_loaded n &lt;filename&gt;</kbd></li><pre>
+   check if schematic / symbol file is already opened and return window path
+   the loaded schematic is in.
+   for &lt;filename&gt; use absolute path or use [abs_sym_path filename]
+     window_path[0] == ".drw"
+     window_path[1] == ".x1.drw"
+     ...
+   else return empty string </pre>
    <li><kbd>       check_symbols</kbd></li><pre>
    List all used symbols in current schematic and warn if some symbol is newer </pre>
    <li><kbd>       check_unique_names [1|0]</kbd></li><pre>
diff --git a/src/callback.c b/src/callback.c
index 228c02ed..3f0c0da7 100644
--- a/src/callback.c
+++ b/src/callback.c
@@ -3938,7 +3938,7 @@ static void handle_key_press(int event, KeySym key, int state, int rstate, int m
         /* load last opened file */
         char f[PATH_MAX];
         xctx->semaphore--;
-        my_strncpy(f, tcleval("lindex $tctx::recentfile 0"), S(f));
+        my_strncpy(f, tcleval("get_lastopened"), S(f));
         ask_new_file(1, f);
         xctx->semaphore++;
       }
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index 306cbc33..86cc139f 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -494,6 +494,24 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
       }
     }
 
+    /* check_loaded n <filename>
+     *   check if schematic / symbol file is already opened and return window path
+     *   the loaded schematic is in.
+     *   for <filename> use absolute path or use [abs_sym_path filename]
+     *     window_path[0] == ".drw"
+     *     window_path[1] == ".x1.drw"
+     *     ...
+     *   else return empty string */
+    else if(!strcmp(argv[1], "check_loaded"))
+    {
+      char win_path[WINDOW_PATH_SIZE] = "";
+      if(!xctx) {Tcl_SetResult(interp, not_avail, TCL_STATIC); return TCL_ERROR;}
+      if(argc > 2) {
+        check_loaded(argv[2], win_path);
+      }
+      Tcl_SetResult(interp, win_path, TCL_VOLATILE);
+    }
+
     /* check_symbols
      *   List all used symbols in current schematic and warn if some symbol is newer */
     else if(!strcmp(argv[1], "check_symbols"))
@@ -3037,7 +3055,7 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
           i--;
           lastclosed = 0;
         } else if(lastopened) {
-          my_strncpy(f, tcleval("lindex $tctx::recentfile 0"), S(f));
+          my_strncpy(f, tcleval("get_lastopened"), S(f));
           i--;
           lastopened = 0;
         } else {
@@ -3122,7 +3140,7 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
           if(!strcmp(argv[i], "-lastclosed")) {
             my_strncpy(f, tcleval("get_lastclosed"), S(f));
           } else if(!strcmp(argv[i], "-lastopened")) {    
-            my_strncpy(f, tcleval("lindex $tctx::recentfile 0"), S(f));
+            my_strncpy(f, tcleval("get_lastopened"), S(f));
           } else if(!is_from_web(argv[i])) {
             my_snprintf(f, S(f),"regsub {^~/} {%s} {%s/}", argv[i], home_dir);
             tcleval(f);
diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index f6fbe8b6..b2ba87c5 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -1490,15 +1490,17 @@ int check_loaded(const char *f, char *win_path)
   int i;
   Xschem_ctx *ctx;
   int found = 0;
+  my_strncpy(win_path, "", S(window_path[i]));
   for(i = 0; i < MAX_NEW_WINDOWS; ++i) {
-    ctx = save_xctx[i];
     dbg(1, "window_count=%d i=%d\n", window_count, i);
     /* if only one schematic it is not yet saved in save_xctx */
     if(window_count == 0 && i == 0)  {
       ctx = xctx;
       my_snprintf(window_path[0],  S(window_path[0]), ".drw" );
+    } else {
+      ctx = save_xctx[i];
     }
-    if(ctx) {
+    if(ctx && ctx->sch[ctx->currsch]) {
       dbg(1, "%s <--> %s\n", ctx->sch[ctx->currsch], f);
       if(!strcmp(ctx->sch[ctx->currsch], f)) {
         dbg(1, "check_loaded(): f=%s, sch=%s\n", f, ctx->sch[ctx->currsch]);
@@ -3112,7 +3114,7 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
  }
 
  if(cli_opt_lastopened) {
-    my_strncpy(cli_opt_filename, tcleval("lindex $tctx::recentfile 0"), S(cli_opt_filename));
+    my_strncpy(cli_opt_filename, tcleval("get_lastopened"), S(cli_opt_filename));
  }
 
  if(cli_opt_filename[0]) {
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index 3f43be51..913c4d0f 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -8610,6 +8610,9 @@ proc get_lastclosed {} {
       if {$ret eq [abs_sym_path untitled.sch]} {
         continue
       }
+      if {[xschem check_loaded $ret] ne {}} {
+        continue
+      }
       if { $ret ne {}} {
         break
       }
@@ -8619,6 +8622,16 @@ proc get_lastclosed {} {
   return $ret
 }
 
+proc get_lastopened {} {
+  set f {}
+  foreach f $tctx::recentfile {
+    if {[xschem check_loaded $f] eq {}} {
+      break
+    }
+  }
+  return $f
+}
+
 proc quit_xschem { {force {}}} {
   global tabbed_interface