diff --git a/rtgui/batchqueue.cc b/rtgui/batchqueue.cc
index f10dfdcb5..61713d845 100644
--- a/rtgui/batchqueue.cc
+++ b/rtgui/batchqueue.cc
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ rtengine::ProcessingJob* BatchQueue::imageReady (rtengine::IImage16* img) {
             err = img->saveAsJPEG (fname, saveFormat.jpegQuality);
         img->free ();
         if (!err && saveFormat.saveParams)
-            processing->params.save (removeExtension(fname) + ".pp2");
+            processing->params.save (removeExtension(fname) + paramFileExtension);
         if (processing->thumbnail) {
             processing->thumbnail->imageDeveloped ();
             processing->thumbnail->imageRemovedFromQueue ();
diff --git a/rtgui/cachemanager.cc b/rtgui/cachemanager.cc
index 81746034b..17ac566ba 100644
--- a/rtgui/cachemanager.cc
+++ b/rtgui/cachemanager.cc
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ void CacheManager::deleteEntry (const Glib::ustring& fname) {
 		r = openEntries.find (fname);
 	    if (r==openEntries.end() && md5!="") {
 			::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("data", fname, md5) + ".txt").c_str());
-			::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("profiles", fname, md5) + ".pp2").c_str());
+			::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("profiles", fname, md5) + paramFileExtension).c_str());
 			::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("images", fname, md5) + ".cust").c_str());
 			::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("images", fname, md5) + ".jpg").c_str());
 			::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("aehistograms", fname, md5)).c_str());
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void CacheManager::deleteEntry (const Glib::ustring& fname) {
 	    std::string md5 = getMD5 (fname);
 	    if (md5!="") {
 	        ::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("data", fname, md5) + ".txt").c_str());
-	        ::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("profiles", fname, md5) + ".pp2").c_str());
+	        ::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("profiles", fname, md5) + paramFileExtension).c_str());
 	        ::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("images", fname, md5) + ".cust").c_str());
 	        ::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("images", fname, md5) + ".jpg").c_str());
 	        ::g_remove ((getCacheFileName ("aehistograms", fname, md5)).c_str());
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ void CacheManager::renameEntry (const std::string& oldfilename, const std::strin
 
     std::string newmd5 = getMD5 (newfilename);
 
-    ::g_rename ((getCacheFileName ("profiles", oldfilename, oldmd5) + ".pp2").c_str(), (getCacheFileName ("profiles", newfilename, newmd5) + ".pp2").c_str());
+    ::g_rename ((getCacheFileName ("profiles", oldfilename, oldmd5) + paramFileExtension).c_str(), (getCacheFileName ("profiles", newfilename, newmd5) + paramFileExtension).c_str());
     ::g_rename ((getCacheFileName ("images", oldfilename, oldmd5) + ".cust").c_str(), (getCacheFileName ("images", newfilename, newmd5) + ".cust").c_str());
     ::g_rename ((getCacheFileName ("images", oldfilename, oldmd5) + ".jpg").c_str(), (getCacheFileName ("images", newfilename, newmd5) + ".jpg").c_str());
     ::g_rename ((getCacheFileName ("aehistograms", oldfilename, oldmd5)).c_str(), (getCacheFileName ("aehistograms", newfilename, newmd5)).c_str());
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ void CacheManager::applyCacheSizeLimitation () {
             ::g_remove ((Glib::build_filename (Glib::build_filename (baseDir, "images"), flist.front().fname) + ".jpg").c_str());
             ::g_remove ((Glib::build_filename (Glib::build_filename (baseDir, "aehistograms"), flist.front().fname)).c_str());
             ::g_remove ((Glib::build_filename (Glib::build_filename (baseDir, "embprofiles"), flist.front().fname) + ".icc").c_str());
-//                ::g_remove ((Glib::build_filename (Glib::build_filename (baseDir, "profiles"), flist.front().fname) + ".pp2").c_str());
+//                ::g_remove ((Glib::build_filename (Glib::build_filename (baseDir, "profiles"), flist.front().fname) + paramFileExtension).c_str());
             flist.erase (flist.begin());
         }
     }
diff --git a/rtgui/editorpanel.cc b/rtgui/editorpanel.cc
index a3915b297..431801589 100644
--- a/rtgui/editorpanel.cc
+++ b/rtgui/editorpanel.cc
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ void EditorPanel::open (Thumbnail* tmb, rtengine::InitialImage* isrc) {
     navigator->previewWindow->setPreviewHandler (previewHandler);
     navigator->previewWindow->setImageArea (iarea->imageArea);
 
-    // try to load the last saved parameters from the cache or from the pp2 file
+    // try to load the last saved parameters from the cache or from the paramfile file
     ProcParams* ldprof = NULL;
     if (openThm->hasProcParams()) {
         ldprof = new ProcParams ();
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ void EditorPanel::saveProfile () {
     ipc->getParams (&params);
     
     if (options.saveParamsFile)
-        params.save (openThm->getFileName() + ".pp2");
+        params.save (openThm->getFileName() + paramFileExtension);
     if (openThm && options.saveParamsCache) 
         openThm->setProcParams (params, EDITOR);
 }
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ bool EditorPanel::idle_imageSaved(ProgressConnector<int> *pc,rtengine::IImage16*
 		if (sf.saveParams) {
 			rtengine::procparams::ProcParams pparams;
 			ipc->getParams (&pparams);
-			pparams.save (removeExtension (fname) + ".out.pp2");
+			pparams.save (removeExtension (fname) + ".out" + paramFileExtension);
 		}
 	}else{
 		Glib::ustring msg_ = Glib::ustring("<b>") + fname + ": Error during image saving\n</b>";
diff --git a/rtgui/filecatalog.cc b/rtgui/filecatalog.cc
index efc8f3c46..c29f0c436 100644
--- a/rtgui/filecatalog.cc
+++ b/rtgui/filecatalog.cc
@@ -468,9 +468,9 @@ void FileCatalog::deleteRequested  (std::vector<FileBrowserEntry*> tbe) {
             cacheMgr.deleteEntry (fname);
             // delete from file system
             ::g_remove (fname.c_str());
-            // delete .pp2 if found
-            ::g_remove (Glib::ustring(fname+".pp2").c_str());
-            ::g_remove (Glib::ustring(removeExtension(fname)+".pp2").c_str());
+            // delete paramfile if found
+            ::g_remove (Glib::ustring(fname+paramFileExtension).c_str());
+            ::g_remove (Glib::ustring(removeExtension(fname)+paramFileExtension).c_str());
             // delete .thm file
             ::g_remove (Glib::ustring(removeExtension(fname)+".thm").c_str());
             ::g_remove (Glib::ustring(removeExtension(fname)+".THM").c_str());
diff --git a/rtgui/options.cc b/rtgui/options.cc
index 5f25b88b6..f0a396f92 100644
--- a/rtgui/options.cc
+++ b/rtgui/options.cc
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@
 #include <addsetids.h>
 
 Options options;
-Glib::ustring versionString = "v3.0 alpha 1";
+Glib::ustring versionString      = "v3.0 alpha 1";
+Glib::ustring paramFileExtension = ".pp2";
 
 Options::Options () {
 
diff --git a/rtgui/options.h b/rtgui/options.h
index 1d96eb1ba..e7d05e78c 100644
--- a/rtgui/options.h
+++ b/rtgui/options.h
@@ -140,5 +140,6 @@ extern Options options;
 extern Glib::ustring argv0;
 extern Glib::ustring argv1;
 extern Glib::ustring versionString;
+extern Glib::ustring paramFileExtension;
 
 #endif
diff --git a/rtgui/preferences.cc b/rtgui/preferences.cc
index 77f20e594..3db415ec8 100644
--- a/rtgui/preferences.cc
+++ b/rtgui/preferences.cc
@@ -293,8 +293,8 @@ Gtk::Widget* Preferences::getProcParamsPanel () {
 
     std::vector<Glib::ustring> pnames;
     if (options.multiUser)
-        parseDir (Options::rtdir + "/" + options.profilePath, pnames, ".pp2");
-    parseDir (argv0 + "/" + options.profilePath, pnames, ".pp2");
+        parseDir (Options::rtdir + "/" + options.profilePath, pnames, paramFileExtension);
+    parseDir (argv0 + "/" + options.profilePath, pnames, paramFileExtension);
     for (int i=0; i<pnames.size(); i++) {
         rprofiles->append_text (pnames[i]);
         iprofiles->append_text (pnames[i]);
diff --git a/rtgui/profilepanel.cc b/rtgui/profilepanel.cc
index 6c7e10d58..e684f98de 100644
--- a/rtgui/profilepanel.cc
+++ b/rtgui/profilepanel.cc
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ void ProfilePanel::save_clicked () {
 
     Gtk::FileFilter filter_pp;
     filter_pp.set_name(M("PROFILEPANEL_FILEDLGFILTERPP"));
-    filter_pp.add_pattern("*.pp2");
+    filter_pp.add_pattern("*"+paramFileExtension);
     dialog.add_filter(filter_pp);
 
     Gtk::FileFilter filter_any;
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ void ProfilePanel::save_clicked () {
             hasext = false;
 
         if (!hasext) 
-            fname = fname + ".pp2";
+            fname = fname + paramFileExtension;
 
         if (Glib::file_test (fname, Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
           Glib::ustring msg_ = Glib::ustring("<b>") + fname + ": " + M("MAIN_MSG_ALREADYEXISTS") + "\n" + M("MAIN_MSG_QOVERWRITE") + "</b>";
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ void ProfilePanel::load_clicked () {
 
     Gtk::FileFilter filter_pp;
     filter_pp.set_name(M("PROFILEPANEL_FILEDLGFILTERPP"));
-    filter_pp.add_pattern("*.pp2");
+    filter_pp.add_pattern("*"+paramFileExtension);
     dialog.add_filter(filter_pp);
 
     Gtk::FileFilter filter_any;
diff --git a/rtgui/profilestore.cc b/rtgui/profilestore.cc
index 95e632ffb..3dfdeed85 100644
--- a/rtgui/profilestore.cc
+++ b/rtgui/profilestore.cc
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ void ProfileStore::parseDir (const Glib::ustring& pdir) {
       // ignore directories
       if (!Glib::file_test (fname, Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_DIR)) {
         int lastdot = sname.find_last_of ('.');
-        if (lastdot!=Glib::ustring::npos && lastdot<=sname.size()-4 && !sname.casefold().compare (lastdot, 4, ".pp2")) {
+        if (lastdot!=Glib::ustring::npos && lastdot<=sname.size()-4 && !sname.casefold().compare (lastdot, 4, paramFileExtension)) {
           printf ("Processing file %s...\n", fname.c_str());
           Glib::ustring name = sname.substr(0,lastdot);
           if (pparams.find(name)!=pparams.end()) {
diff --git a/rtgui/thumbnail.cc b/rtgui/thumbnail.cc
index 0e796f4c5..93a8d76f5 100644
--- a/rtgui/thumbnail.cc
+++ b/rtgui/thumbnail.cc
@@ -145,18 +145,18 @@ void Thumbnail::loadProcParams () {
 
     pparamsValid = false;
     if (options.paramsLoadLocation==PLL_Input) {
-        // try to load it from pp2 file next to the image file    
-        int ppres = pparams.load (fname + ".pp2");
+        // try to load it from params file next to the image file
+        int ppres = pparams.load (fname + paramFileExtension);
         pparamsValid = !ppres && pparams.version>=220;
         if (!pparamsValid) 
-                pparamsValid = !pparams.load (getCacheFileName ("profiles")+".pp2");
+                pparamsValid = !pparams.load (getCacheFileName ("profiles")+paramFileExtension);
     }
     else {
         // try to load it from cache
-        pparamsValid = !pparams.load (getCacheFileName ("profiles")+".pp2");
-        // if no success, load it from pp2 file next to the image file    
+        pparamsValid = !pparams.load (getCacheFileName ("profiles")+paramFileExtension);
+        // if no success, load it from params file next to the image file
         if (!pparamsValid) {
-            int ppres = pparams.load (fname + ".pp2");
+            int ppres = pparams.load (fname + paramFileExtension);
             pparamsValid = !ppres && pparams.version>=220;
         }
     }
@@ -167,16 +167,16 @@ void Thumbnail::clearProcParams (int whoClearedIt) {
     cfs.recentlySaved = false;
     pparamsValid = false;
     needsReProcessing = true;
-    // remove pp2 file from cache
-    Glib::ustring fname_ = getCacheFileName ("profiles")+".pp2";
+    // remove param file from cache
+    Glib::ustring fname_ = getCacheFileName ("profiles")+paramFileExtension;
     if (Glib::file_test (fname_, Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
         ::g_remove (fname_.c_str());
-    // remove pp2 file located next to the file
-//    fname_ = removeExtension(fname) + ".pp2";
-    fname_ = fname + ".pp2";
+    // remove param file located next to the file
+//    fname_ = removeExtension(fname) + paramFileExtension;
+    fname_ = fname + paramFileExtension;
     if (Glib::file_test (fname_, Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
         ::g_remove (fname_.c_str());
-    fname_ = removeExtension(fname) + ".pp2";
+    fname_ = removeExtension(fname) + paramFileExtension;
     if (Glib::file_test (fname_, Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
         ::g_remove (fname_.c_str());
 
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ void Thumbnail::imageDeveloped () {
         
     cfs.recentlySaved = true;
     cfs.save (getCacheFileName ("data")+".txt");
-    pparams.save (getCacheFileName ("profiles")+".pp2");
+    pparams.save (getCacheFileName ("profiles")+paramFileExtension);
 }
 
 void Thumbnail::imageEnqueued () {
@@ -410,10 +410,10 @@ void Thumbnail::updateCache () {
 
     if (pparamsValid) {
         if (options.saveParamsCache)
-            pparams.save (getCacheFileName ("profiles")+".pp2");
+            pparams.save (getCacheFileName ("profiles")+paramFileExtension);
         if (options.saveParamsFile)
-//            pparams.save (removeExtension(fname) + ".pp2");
-            pparams.save (fname + ".pp2");
+//            pparams.save (removeExtension(fname) + paramFileExtension);
+            pparams.save (fname + paramFileExtension);
     }
     cfs.save (getCacheFileName ("data")+".txt");
 }