diff --git a/src/gui/commandPalette.cpp b/src/gui/commandPalette.cpp
index fcea3e3a6..e182f2bdf 100644
--- a/src/gui/commandPalette.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/commandPalette.cpp
@@ -28,11 +28,14 @@
 enum CommandPaletteType {
   CMDPAL_TYPE_MAIN = 0,
   CMDPAL_TYPE_RECENT,
-  // TODO
+  // TODO: are there more?
+
+  CMDPAL_TYPE_MAX,
 };
 
 enum CommandPaletteExtraAction {
   CMDPAL_EXTRA_RECENT = 0,
+
   CMDPAL_EXTRA_MAX,
 };
 
@@ -63,6 +66,12 @@ static inline bool matchFuzzy(const char* haystack,const char* needle) {
 }
 
 void FurnaceGUI::drawPalette() {
+  auto resetPalette = [](FurnaceGUI* g){
+    g->paletteFirstFrame=true;
+    g->paletteQuery="";
+    g->curPaletteChoice=0;
+  };
+
   bool accepted=false;
 
   if (paletteFirstFrame)
@@ -164,9 +173,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::drawPalette() {
       } else {
         switch (i-GUI_ACTION_MAX) {
         case CMDPAL_EXTRA_RECENT:
-          paletteFirstFrame=true;
-          paletteQuery="";
-          curPaletteChoice=0;
+          resetPalette(this);
           curPaletteType=CMDPAL_TYPE_RECENT;
           break;
         default:
@@ -177,17 +184,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::drawPalette() {
       break;
 
     case CMDPAL_TYPE_RECENT:
-      if (modified) {
-        nextFile=recentFile[i];
-        showWarning("Unsaved changes! Save changes before opening file?",GUI_WARN_OPEN_DROP);
-      } else {
-        String item=recentFile[i];
-        recentFile.erase(recentFile.begin()+i);
-        i--;
-        if (load(item)>0) {
-          showError(fmt::sprintf("Error while loading file! (%s)",lastError));
-        }
-      }
+      openRecentFile(recentFile[i]);
       ImGui::CloseCurrentPopup();
       break;
 
diff --git a/src/gui/gui.cpp b/src/gui/gui.cpp
index bf15f50ae..175a5fb80 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/gui.cpp
@@ -2151,6 +2151,17 @@ int FurnaceGUI::load(String path) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+void FurnaceGUI::openRecentFile(String path) {
+  if (modified) {
+    nextFile=path;
+    showWarning("Unsaved changes! Save changes before opening file?",GUI_WARN_OPEN_DROP);
+  } else {
+    if (load(path)>0) {
+      showError(fmt::sprintf("Error while loading file! (%s)",lastError));
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 void FurnaceGUI::pushRecentFile(String path) {
   if (path.empty()) return;
   if (path.find(backupPath)==0) return;
@@ -3802,17 +3813,13 @@ bool FurnaceGUI::loop() {
           exitDisabledTimer=1;
           for (int i=0; i<(int)recentFile.size(); i++) {
             String item=recentFile[i];
-            if (ImGui::MenuItem(item.c_str())) {
-              if (modified) {
-                nextFile=item;
-                showWarning("Unsaved changes! Save changes before opening file?",GUI_WARN_OPEN_DROP);
-              } else {
+            if (ImGui::MenuItem(recentFile[i].c_str())) {
+              String item=recentFile[i];
+              if (!modified) {
                 recentFile.erase(recentFile.begin()+i);
                 i--;
-                if (load(item)>0) {
-                  showError(fmt::sprintf("Error while loading file! (%s)",lastError));
-                }
               }
+              openRecentFile(item);
             }
           }
           if (recentFile.empty()) {
diff --git a/src/gui/gui.h b/src/gui/gui.h
index 3bac297f3..60be63611 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.h
+++ b/src/gui/gui.h
@@ -2240,6 +2240,7 @@ class FurnaceGUI {
   int save(String path, int dmfVersion);
   int load(String path);
   int loadStream(String path);
+  void openRecentFile(String path);
   void pushRecentFile(String path);
   void exportAudio(String path, DivAudioExportModes mode);
   void delFirstBackup(String name);