diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index d6c655aa..ba47e9cb 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -1033,6 +1033,7 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
  char name[PATH_MAX]; /* overflow safe 20161122 */
  char tmp[2*PATH_MAX+100]; /* 20161122 overflow safe */
  int i;
+ double l_width;
  struct stat buf;
  const char *home_buff;
  int running_in_src_dir;
@@ -1330,6 +1331,8 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
    tclsetvar("color_ps",tmp);
  }
  change_lw=atoi(tclgetvar("change_lw"));
+ l_width=atoi(tclgetvar("line_width"));
+ if(change_lw == 1) l_width = 0.0;
  draw_window=atoi(tclgetvar("draw_window"));
  incr_hilight=atoi(tclgetvar("incr_hilight"));
  if(a3page==-1)
@@ -1339,6 +1342,7 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
    tclsetvar("a3page",tmp);
  }
  enable_stretch=atoi(tclgetvar("enable_stretch"));
+ big_grid_points=atoi(tclgetvar("big_grid_points"));
  draw_grid=atoi(tclgetvar("draw_grid"));
  cadlayers=atoi(tclgetvar("cadlayers"));
  if(debug_var==-10) debug_var=0;
@@ -1480,7 +1484,7 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
     tclsetvar("has_cairo","1");
     #endif
 
-    change_linewidth(0.);
+    change_linewidth(l_width);
     dbg(1, "Tcl_AppInit(): done xinit()\n");
     winattr.backing_store = WhenMapped;
     /* winattr.backing_store = NotUseful;*/
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index 4eaca1eb..7e386cca 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -3416,7 +3416,8 @@ set_ne only_probes 0  ; # 20110112
 set_ne a3page 0
 set_ne fullscreen 0
 set_ne unzoom_nodrift 1
-set_ne change_lw 0
+set_ne change_lw 1
+set_ne line_width 0
 set_ne draw_window 0
 set_ne incr_hilight 1
 set_ne enable_stretch 0
diff --git a/src/xschemrc b/src/xschemrc
index 017c542c..544923a2 100644
--- a/src/xschemrc
+++ b/src/xschemrc
@@ -112,8 +112,11 @@ set dircolor(examples$) {darkgreen}
 set netlist_type spice ;# allowed : spice, verilog, vhdl, tedax
 set hspice_netlist 1
 set verilog_2001 1
+
+## for following to be effective also set change_lw to 0 
 # set line_width 2
 set change_lw 1
+
 set color_ps 1
 set initial_geometry {900x600}
 # set unzoom_nodrift 0
@@ -132,6 +135,9 @@ set disable_unique_names 0
 ## disable some symbol layers
 # set enable_layer(5) 0 ;# example to disable pin red boxes
 
+## enable to scale grid point size as done with lines at close zoom
+# set big_grid_points 0
+
 ###########################################################################
 ## custom grid / snap value settings
 ###########################################################################