diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index a1eb4708..dbf88481 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -2508,7 +2508,7 @@ void load_schematic(int load_symbols, const char *fname, int reset_undo, int ale
       if(load_symbols) link_symbols_to_instances(-1);
       if(reset_undo) {
         tclvareval("is_xschem_file {", xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], "}", NULL);
-        if(!strcmp(tclresult(), "SYMBOL")) {
+        if(!strcmp(tclresult(), "SYMBOL") || xctx->instances == 0) {
           xctx->save_netlist_type = xctx->netlist_type;
           xctx->netlist_type = CAD_SYMBOL_ATTRS;
           set_tcl_netlist_type();
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index 83443f4c..2546e9ce 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -2384,7 +2384,7 @@ proc is_xschem_file {f} {
     }
     close $fd
   }
-  # puts "score=$score"
+  # puts "ret=$ret score=$score"
   return $ret
 }