diff --git a/src/actions.c b/src/actions.c
index 0569429a..bfc02b36 100644
--- a/src/actions.c
+++ b/src/actions.c
@@ -164,26 +164,26 @@ int set_modify(int mod)
     /*                Do not configure buttons if displaying in preview window */
     if(has_x && (xctx->top_path[0] == '\0' || strstr(xctx->top_path, ".x") == xctx->top_path)) {
       char s[256];
-      tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background $simulate_bg", NULL);
+      tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background $simulate_bg}", NULL);
       tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_netlist $simulate_bg", NULL);
       my_snprintf(s, S(s), "tctx::%s_simulate_id", xctx->current_win_path);
       if(tclgetvar(s)) {
-        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background ", tclresult(), NULL);
+        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background}", tclresult(), NULL);
         tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_simulate ", tclresult(), NULL);
       } else {
-        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg", NULL);
+        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg}", NULL);
         tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_simulate $simulate_bg", NULL);
       }
     }
     if(sch_waves_loaded() >= 0) {
       if(has_x && (xctx->top_path[0] == '\0' || strstr(xctx->top_path, ".x") == xctx->top_path)) {
         tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_waves Green", NULL);
-        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Waves -background Green", NULL);
+        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background Green}", NULL);
       }
     } else {
       if(has_x && (xctx->top_path[0] == '\0' || strstr(xctx->top_path, ".x") == xctx->top_path)) {
         tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_waves $simulate_bg", NULL);
-        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Waves -background $simulate_bg", NULL);
+        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background $simulate_bg}", NULL);
       }
     }
   }  
diff --git a/src/callback.c b/src/callback.c
index ece8a140..1e85e1b9 100644
--- a/src/callback.c
+++ b/src/callback.c
@@ -3163,12 +3163,12 @@ static void handle_key_press(int event, KeySym key, int state, int rstate, int m
         }
         if(err) {
           if(has_x) {
-            tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background red", NULL);
+            tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background red}", NULL);
             tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_netlist red", NULL);
           }
         } else {
           if(has_x) {
-            tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background Green", NULL);
+            tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background Green}", NULL);
             tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_netlist Green", NULL);
           }
         }
diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index 0aae13de..87d67005 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ void free_rawfile(Raw **rawptr, int dr, int no_warning)
 
   if(has_x) {
     tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_waves $simulate_bg", NULL);
-    tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Waves -background $simulate_bg", NULL);
+    tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background $simulate_bg}", NULL);
   }   
 
   if(dr) draw();
@@ -1060,10 +1060,10 @@ int raw_read(const char *f, Raw **rawptr, const char *type, int no_warning, doub
     if(has_x) {
       if(sch_waves_loaded() >= 0) {
         tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_waves Green", NULL);
-        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Waves -background Green", NULL);
+        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background Green}", NULL);
       } else {
         tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_waves $simulate_bg", NULL);
-        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Waves -background $simulate_bg", NULL);
+        tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background $simulate_bg}", NULL);
       }
     }
     return res;
@@ -3453,7 +3453,7 @@ int save_schematic(const char *schname, int fast) /* 20171020 added return value
     if(fast) set_modify(2); /* only clear modified flag, no title/tab/sim buttons update */
     else     set_modify(0);
   }
-  tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg", NULL);
+  tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg}", NULL);
   tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_simulate $simulate_bg", NULL);
   tclvareval("catch {unset tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_simulate_id}", NULL);
   /* set local simulation directory if local_netlist_dir is set*/
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index 331864fa..ec42c8d6 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -3506,12 +3506,12 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
       }
       if(err) {
         if(has_x) {
-          tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background red", NULL);
+          tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background red}", NULL);
           tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_netlist red", NULL);
         }
       } else {
         if(has_x) {
-          tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background Green", NULL);
+          tclvareval(xctx->top_path, "catch {.menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background Green}", NULL);
           tclvareval("set tctx::", xctx->current_win_path, "_netlist Green", NULL);
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index 98bf5af5..21c39aea 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -1641,7 +1641,7 @@ static void create_new_window(int *window_count, const char *noconfirm, const ch
   tclvareval("save_ctx ", xctx->current_win_path, NULL);
   (*window_count)++;
   if(has_x) {
-    tclvareval("[xschem get top_path].menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg", NULL);
+    tclvareval("catch {[xschem get top_path].menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg}", NULL);
     tcleval(".menubar.view entryconfigure {Tabbed interface} -state disabled");
   }
   n = -1;
@@ -3042,7 +3042,7 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
  /*                                    */
  /* SOURCE XSCHEMRC SUPPLIED TCL FILES */
  /*                                    */
- tcleval("update; source_user_tcl_files");
+ tcleval("source_user_tcl_files");
 
  if(cli_opt_filename[0]) {
     char f[PATH_MAX];
@@ -3172,7 +3172,7 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
  /* to be executed on any new window   */
  /* creation                           */
  /*                                    */
- tcleval("eval_user_startup_commands");
+ tcleval("update; eval_user_startup_commands");
 
  /* source tcl file given on command line with --script */
  if(cli_opt_tcl_script[0]) {
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index f888c51a..62f362da 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@ proc netlist {source_file show netlist_file} {
  set waves_var tctx::${win_path}_waves
  if {[info exists has_x] && $waves_var ne $simulate_bg} {
    set $waves_var orange
-    $top_path.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background orange
+   catch {$top_path.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background orange}
  }
  
  set netlist_type [xschem get netlist_type]
@@ -2640,7 +2640,7 @@ proc simulate_from_button {{callback {}}} {
          # something went wrong. Forget about the process
          unset tctx::[xschem get current_win_path]_simulate_id
          set tctx::[xschem get current_win_path]_simulate $simulate_bg
-         [xschem get top_path].menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg
+         catch {[xschem get top_path].menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg}
        }
      }
    }
@@ -2711,7 +2711,7 @@ proc simulate {{callback {}}} {
     if {[info exists has_x] && $id >= 0 } {
       set tctx::[xschem get current_win_path]_simulate_id $id
       set button_path [xschem get top_path].menubar
-      $button_path entryconfigure Simulate -background orange
+      catch {$button_path entryconfigure Simulate -background orange}
       set tctx::[xschem get current_win_path]_simulate orange
     }
 
@@ -8493,17 +8493,17 @@ proc set_simulate_button {top_path win_path} {
 
   if {![info exists execute(exitcode,last)]} {
     if { $current_win eq $win_path} {
-      $sim_button entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg
+      catch {$sim_button entryconfigure Simulate -background $simulate_bg}
     }
     set $simvar $simulate_bg
   } elseif { $execute(exitcode,last) == 0} {
     if { $current_win eq $win_path} {
-      $sim_button entryconfigure Simulate -background Green
+      catch {$sim_button entryconfigure Simulate -background Green}
     }
     set $simvar Green
   } else {   
     if { $current_win eq $win_path} {
-      $sim_button entryconfigure Simulate -background red
+      catch {$sim_button entryconfigure Simulate -background red}
     }
     set $simvar red
   }
@@ -8522,21 +8522,21 @@ proc set_sim_netlist_waves_buttons {} {
   set sim_var  tctx::${win_path}_simulate
   set waves_var tctx::${win_path}_waves
   if {![info exists $netlist_var] || [set $netlist_var] eq $simulate_bg} {
-    $top_path.menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background  $simulate_bg
+    catch {$top_path.menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background  $simulate_bg}
   } else { 
-     $top_path.menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background [set $netlist_var]
+     catch {$top_path.menubar entryconfigure Netlist -background [set $netlist_var]}
   }
 
   if {![info exists $sim_var] || [set $sim_var] eq $simulate_bg} {
-    $top_path.menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background  $simulate_bg
+    catch {$top_path.menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background  $simulate_bg}
   } else { 
-    $top_path.menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background [set $sim_var]
+    catch {$top_path.menubar entryconfigure Simulate -background [set $sim_var]}
   }
 
   if {![info exists $waves_var] || [set $waves_var] eq $simulate_bg} {
-    $top_path.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background  $simulate_bg
+    catch {$top_path.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background  $simulate_bg}
   } else { 
-    $top_path.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background [set $waves_var]
+    catch {$top_path.menubar entryconfigure Waves -background [set $waves_var]}
   }
 }