diff --git a/src/gui/gui.cpp b/src/gui/gui.cpp
index b000ed789..3e3601af6 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/gui.cpp
@@ -2112,6 +2112,7 @@ int FurnaceGUI::save(String path, int dmfVersion) {
 }
 
 int FurnaceGUI::load(String path) {
+  bool wasPlaying=e->isPlaying();
   if (!path.empty()) {
     logI("loading module...");
     FILE* f=ps_fopen(path.c_str(),"rb");
@@ -2188,6 +2189,12 @@ int FurnaceGUI::load(String path) {
     showWarning(e->getWarnings(),GUI_WARN_GENERIC);
   }
   pushRecentFile(path);
+  // do not auto-play a backup
+  if (path.find(backupPath)!=0) {
+    if (settings.playOnLoad==2 || (settings.playOnLoad==1 && wasPlaying)) {
+      play();
+    }
+  }
   return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gui/gui.h b/src/gui/gui.h
index 7178c382b..adfc0b720 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.h
+++ b/src/gui/gui.h
@@ -1547,6 +1547,7 @@ class FurnaceGUI {
     int noDMFCompat;
     int removeInsOff;
     int removeVolOff;
+    int playOnLoad;
     unsigned int maxUndoSteps;
     String mainFontPath;
     String headFontPath;
@@ -1708,6 +1709,7 @@ class FurnaceGUI {
       noDMFCompat(0),
       removeInsOff(0),
       removeVolOff(0),
+      playOnLoad(0),
       maxUndoSteps(100),
       mainFontPath(""),
       headFontPath(""),
diff --git a/src/gui/settings.cpp b/src/gui/settings.cpp
index e09958483..c7765c327 100644
--- a/src/gui/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/settings.cpp
@@ -437,6 +437,17 @@ void FurnaceGUI::drawSettings() {
           ImGui::SetTooltip("do not report any issues arising from the use of this option!");
         }
 
+        ImGui::Text("Play after opening song:");
+        if (ImGui::RadioButton("No##pol0",settings.playOnLoad==0)) {
+          settings.playOnLoad=0;
+        }
+        if (ImGui::RadioButton("Only if already playing##pol1",settings.playOnLoad==1)) {
+          settings.playOnLoad=1;
+        }
+        if (ImGui::RadioButton("Yes##pol0",settings.playOnLoad==2)) {
+          settings.playOnLoad=2;
+        }
+
         ImGui::Text("Audio export loop/fade out time:");
         if (ImGui::RadioButton("Set to these values on start-up:##fot0",settings.persistFadeOut==0)) {
           settings.persistFadeOut=0;
@@ -2935,6 +2946,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::syncSettings() {
   settings.noDMFCompat=e->getConfInt("noDMFCompat",0);
   settings.removeInsOff=e->getConfInt("removeInsOff",0);
   settings.removeVolOff=e->getConfInt("removeVolOff",0);
+  settings.playOnLoad=e->getConfInt("playOnLoad",0);
 
   clampSetting(settings.mainFontSize,2,96);
   clampSetting(settings.headFontSize,2,96);
@@ -3068,6 +3080,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::syncSettings() {
   clampSetting(settings.noDMFCompat,0,1);
   clampSetting(settings.removeInsOff,0,1);
   clampSetting(settings.removeVolOff,0,1);
+  clampSetting(settings.playOnLoad,0,2);
 
   if (settings.exportLoops<0.0) settings.exportLoops=0.0;
   if (settings.exportFadeOut<0.0) settings.exportFadeOut=0.0;
@@ -3301,6 +3314,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::commitSettings() {
   e->setConf("noDMFCompat",settings.noDMFCompat);
   e->setConf("removeInsOff",settings.removeInsOff);
   e->setConf("removeVolOff",settings.removeVolOff);
+  e->setConf("playOnLoad",settings.playOnLoad);
 
   // colors
   for (int i=0; i<GUI_COLOR_MAX; i++) {