diff --git a/src/actions.c b/src/actions.c
index ac50a14d..48ac0b73 100644
--- a/src/actions.c
+++ b/src/actions.c
@@ -1599,7 +1599,11 @@ void go_back(int confirm) /*  20171006 add confirm */
 
   my_strncpy(filename, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], S(filename));
   load_schematic(1, filename, 1, 1);
-  if(from_embedded_sym) xctx->modified=save_modified; /* to force ask save embedded sym in parent schematic */
+  /* if we are returning from a symbol created from a generator don't set modified flag on parent
+   * as these symbols can not be edited / saved as embedded
+   * xctx->sch_inst_number[xctx->currsch + 1] == -1 --> we came from an inst with no embed flag set */
+  if(from_embedded_sym && xctx->sch_inst_number[xctx->currsch + 1] != -1)
+    xctx->modified=save_modified; /* to force ask save embedded sym in parent schematic */
 
   if(xctx->hilight_nets) {
     if(prev_sch_type != CAD_SYMBOL_ATTRS) hilight_parent_pins(); 
diff --git a/src/hilight.c b/src/hilight.c
index 1f36aa02..48adb13c 100644
--- a/src/hilight.c
+++ b/src/hilight.c
@@ -473,6 +473,12 @@ void hilight_parent_pins(void)
  prepare_netlist_structs(0);
  i=xctx->previous_instance[xctx->currsch];
  inst_number = xctx->sch_inst_number[xctx->currsch+1];
+
+ /* may be set to -1 by descend_symbol to notify we are
+  * descending into a smbol from an instance with no embed flag set 
+  * this is used when descending into symbols created from generators */
+ if(inst_number == -1) inst_number = 1;
+
  dbg(1, "hilight_parent_pins(): previous_instance=%d\n", xctx->previous_instance[xctx->currsch]);
  dbg(1, "hilight_parent_pins(): inst_number=%d\n", inst_number);
 
@@ -522,6 +528,12 @@ void hilight_child_pins(void)
  prepare_netlist_structs(0);
  rects = (xctx->inst[i].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rects[PINLAYER];
  inst_number = xctx->sch_inst_number[xctx->currsch];
+
+ /* may be set to -1 by descend_symbol to notify we are
+  * descending into a smbol from an instance with no embed flag set 
+  * this is used when descending into symbols created from generators */
+ if(inst_number == -1) inst_number = 1;
+
  for(j=0;j<rects; ++j)
  {
   dbg(1, "hilight_child_pins(): inst_number=%d\n", inst_number);
diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index 284d3bd4..abad11e6 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -3935,24 +3935,37 @@ void descend_symbol(void)
        !strcmp( (xctx->inst[n].ptr+ xctx->sym)->type,"missing")) return;
   }
   else return;
+
   /* build up current hierarchy path */
   my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_,  &str, xctx->inst[n].instname);
   my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch]);
   my_strcat(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], str);
   my_strcat(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], ".");
   xctx->sch_path_hash[xctx->currsch+1] = 0;
+  my_free(_ALLOC_ID_, &str);
 
+  /* store hierarchy of inst attributes and sym templates for hierarchic parameter substitution */
   my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->hier_attr[xctx->currsch].prop_ptr,
             xctx->inst[n].prop_ptr);
   my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->hier_attr[xctx->currsch].templ,
             get_tok_value((xctx->inst[n].ptr+ xctx->sym)->prop_ptr, "template", 0));
-  xctx->sch_inst_number[xctx->currsch+1] = 1;
-  my_free(_ALLOC_ID_, &str);
-  xctx->previous_instance[xctx->currsch]=n;
+
+  if(!xctx->inst[n].embed)
+    /* use -1 to keep track we are descending into symbol from instance with no embed attr
+     * we use this info to avoid asking to save parent schematic when returning from a symbol
+     * created from a generator */
+    xctx->sch_inst_number[xctx->currsch+1] = -1;
+  else
+    xctx->sch_inst_number[xctx->currsch+1] = 1; /* inst number we descend into. For symbol always 1 */
+  xctx->previous_instance[xctx->currsch]=n; /* instance we are descending from */
+
+  /* store previous zoom area */
   xctx->zoom_array[xctx->currsch].x=xctx->xorigin;
   xctx->zoom_array[xctx->currsch].y=xctx->yorigin;
   xctx->zoom_array[xctx->currsch].zoom=xctx->zoom;
-  ++xctx->currsch;
+
+  ++xctx->currsch; /* increment level counter */
+
   if((xctx->inst[n].ptr+ xctx->sym)->flags & EMBEDDED || xctx->inst[n].embed) {
     /* save embedded symbol into a temporary file */
     my_snprintf(name_embedded, S(name_embedded),
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index de66ea60..83443f4c 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -2361,7 +2361,10 @@ proc is_xschem_file {f} {
   } else {
     fconfigure $fd -translation binary
     while { [gets $fd line] >=0 } {
-      if { $nline == 0 && [regexp {^#!} $line] } { break } ;# this is a script. not an xschem file
+      if { $nline == 0 && [regexp {^#!} $line] } { 
+        set ret GENERATOR
+        break
+      } ;# this is a script. not an xschem file
       if { [regexp {^[TKGVSE] \{} $line] } { incr score }
       if { [regexp {^[BL] +[0-9]+ +[-0-9.eE]+ +[-0-9.eE]+ +[-0-9.eE]+ +[-0-9.eE]+ +\{} $line] } {incr score}
       if { [regexp {^N +[-0-9.eE]+ +[-0-9.eE]+ +[-0-9.eE]+ +[-0-9.eE]+ +\{} $line] } {incr score}
@@ -2372,7 +2375,7 @@ proc is_xschem_file {f} {
       incr nline
     } 
     if { $score > 4 }  { set ret 1} ;# Heuristic decision :-)
-    if { $ret } {
+    if { $ret ne {0}  && $ret ne {GENERATOR}} {
       if { $instances} {
         set ret SCHEMATIC
       } else { 
@@ -2618,7 +2621,7 @@ proc myload_getresult {loadfile confirm_overwrt} {
       }
     }
     set type [is_xschem_file "$fname"]
-    if { $type eq {0}  } {
+    if { $type eq {0}  || $type eq {GENERATOR} } {
       set answer [
         alert_ "$fname does not seem to be an xschem file...\nContinue?" {} 0 1]
       if { $answer eq {0}} {
@@ -2627,7 +2630,7 @@ proc myload_getresult {loadfile confirm_overwrt} {
       } else {
         return "$fname"
       }
-    } elseif { $type ne {SYMBOL} && ($myload_ext eq {*.sym}) } {
+    } elseif { $type ne {SYMBOL} && ($myload_ext eq {*.sym}) } { ;# SCHEMATIC
       set answer [
         alert_ "$fname does not seem to be a SYMBOL file...\nContinue?" {} 0 1]
       if { $answer eq {0}} {
@@ -2636,7 +2639,7 @@ proc myload_getresult {loadfile confirm_overwrt} {
       } else {
         return "$fname"
       }
-    } else {
+    } else { ;# SYMBOL
       return "$fname"
     }
   } else {
@@ -2646,7 +2649,7 @@ proc myload_getresult {loadfile confirm_overwrt} {
 
 proc myload_display_preview {f} {
   set type [is_xschem_file $f]
-  if { $type ne {0}  } {
+  if { $type ne {0} && $type ne {GENERATOR} } {
     ### update
     if { [winfo exists .load] } {
       .load.l.paneright.draw configure -background {}