diff --git a/rtgui/filecatalog.cc b/rtgui/filecatalog.cc
index b0e4b1045..6680d8ef9 100644
--- a/rtgui/filecatalog.cc
+++ b/rtgui/filecatalog.cc
@@ -1649,22 +1649,26 @@ void FileCatalog::tbRightPanel_1_visible (bool visible){
 void FileCatalog::tbLeftPanel_1_toggled () {
     removeIfThere (filepanel->dirpaned, filepanel->placespaned, false);
     if (tbLeftPanel_1->get_active()){
-    	filepanel->dirpaned->pack1 (*filepanel->placespaned, false, true);
+        filepanel->dirpaned->pack1 (*filepanel->placespaned, false, true);
         tbLeftPanel_1->set_image (*iLeftPanel_1_Hide);
+        options.browserDirPanelOpened = true;
     }
     else {
-    	tbLeftPanel_1->set_image (*iLeftPanel_1_Show);
+        tbLeftPanel_1->set_image (*iLeftPanel_1_Show);
+        options.browserDirPanelOpened = false;
     }
 }
 
 void FileCatalog::tbRightPanel_1_toggled () {
     if (tbRightPanel_1->get_active()){
-    	filepanel->rightBox->show();
-    	tbRightPanel_1->set_image (*iRightPanel_1_Hide);
+        filepanel->rightBox->show();
+        tbRightPanel_1->set_image (*iRightPanel_1_Hide);
+        options.browserToolPanelOpened = true;
     }
     else{
-    	filepanel->rightBox->hide();
-    	tbRightPanel_1->set_image (*iRightPanel_1_Show);
+        filepanel->rightBox->hide();
+        tbRightPanel_1->set_image (*iRightPanel_1_Show);
+        options.browserToolPanelOpened = false;
     }
 }
 
@@ -1684,6 +1688,15 @@ void FileCatalog::toggleSidePanels(){
 	tbRightPanel_1->set_active (!bAllSidePanelsVisible);
 }
 
+void FileCatalog::toggleLeftPanel() {
+	tbLeftPanel_1->set_active (!tbLeftPanel_1->get_active());
+}
+
+void FileCatalog::toggleRightPanel() {
+	tbRightPanel_1->set_active (!tbRightPanel_1->get_active());
+}
+
+
 void FileCatalog::selectImage (Glib::ustring fname, bool clearFilters) {
 
 	Glib::ustring dirname = Glib::path_get_dirname(fname);
diff --git a/rtgui/filecatalog.h b/rtgui/filecatalog.h
index 37dfdfaf6..04ca95a4d 100644
--- a/rtgui/filecatalog.h
+++ b/rtgui/filecatalog.h
@@ -247,6 +247,8 @@ class FileCatalog : public Gtk::VBox,
 
                 bool CheckSidePanelsVisibility();
                 void toggleSidePanels();
+                void toggleLeftPanel();
+                void toggleRightPanel();
 
 #ifndef _WIN32
                 void on_dir_changed (const Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File>& file, const Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File>& other_file, Gio::FileMonitorEvent event_type, bool internal);
diff --git a/rtgui/filepanel.cc b/rtgui/filepanel.cc
index 55851941e..68b70ee31 100644
--- a/rtgui/filepanel.cc
+++ b/rtgui/filepanel.cc
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ void FilePanel::setAspect () {
 	dirpaned->set_position(options.dirBrowserWidth);
 	tpcPaned->set_position(options.browserToolPanelHeight);
 	set_position(winW - options.browserToolPanelWidth);
+	if (!options.browserDirPanelOpened)
+		fileCatalog->toggleLeftPanel();
+	if (!options.browserToolPanelOpened)
+		fileCatalog->toggleRightPanel();
 }
 
 void FilePanel::init () {
diff --git a/rtgui/options.cc b/rtgui/options.cc
index 21be54704..0bb72a387 100644
--- a/rtgui/options.cc
+++ b/rtgui/options.cc
@@ -265,6 +265,8 @@ void Options::setDefaults () {
     toolPanelWidth = 390;
     browserToolPanelWidth = 430;
     browserToolPanelHeight = 600;
+    browserToolPanelOpened = true;;
+    browserDirPanelOpened = true;
     historyPanelWidth = 330;
     lastScale = 5;
     panAccelFactor = 5;
@@ -686,8 +688,10 @@ if (keyFile.has_group ("GUI")) {
     if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "SaveAsDialogWidth"))   saveAsDialogWidth        = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "SaveAsDialogWidth");
     if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "SaveAsDialogHeight"))  saveAsDialogHeight       = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "SaveAsDialogHeight");
     if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "ToolPanelWidth"))      toolPanelWidth           = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "ToolPanelWidth");
-    if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelWidth"))browserToolPanelWidth   = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelWidth");
-    if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelHeight"))browserToolPanelHeight = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelHeight");
+    if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelWidth"))  browserToolPanelWidth  = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelWidth");
+    if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelHeight")) browserToolPanelHeight = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelHeight");
+    if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelOpened")) browserToolPanelOpened = keyFile.get_boolean ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelOpened");
+    if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "BrowserDirPanelOpened"))  browserDirPanelOpened  = keyFile.get_boolean ("GUI", "BrowserDirPanelOpened");
     if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "HistoryPanelWidth"))   historyPanelWidth = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "HistoryPanelWidth");
     if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "LastPreviewScale"))    lastScale         = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "LastPreviewScale");
     if (keyFile.has_key ("GUI", "PanAccelFactor"))      panAccelFactor    = keyFile.get_integer ("GUI", "PanAccelFactor");
@@ -969,6 +973,8 @@ int Options::saveToFile (Glib::ustring fname) {
     keyFile.set_integer ("GUI", "ToolPanelWidth", toolPanelWidth);
     keyFile.set_integer ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelWidth", browserToolPanelWidth);
     keyFile.set_integer ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelHeight", browserToolPanelHeight);
+    keyFile.set_boolean ("GUI", "BrowserToolPanelOpened", browserToolPanelOpened);
+    keyFile.set_boolean ("GUI", "BrowserDirPanelOpened", browserDirPanelOpened);
     keyFile.set_integer ("GUI", "HistoryPanelWidth", historyPanelWidth);
     keyFile.set_integer ("GUI", "LastPreviewScale", lastScale);
     keyFile.set_integer ("GUI", "PanAccelFactor", panAccelFactor);
diff --git a/rtgui/options.h b/rtgui/options.h
index 070b726a9..4500c6b85 100644
--- a/rtgui/options.h
+++ b/rtgui/options.h
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ class Options {
     int toolPanelWidth;
     int browserToolPanelWidth;
     int browserToolPanelHeight;
+    bool browserToolPanelOpened;
+    bool browserDirPanelOpened;
     int historyPanelWidth;
     Glib::ustring font;
     int windowWidth;