diff --git a/src/jdbernard/timestamper/TimeStamperApp.java b/src/jdbernard/timestamper/TimeStamperApp.java
index 04f4f66..b74fbd9 100755
--- a/src/jdbernard/timestamper/TimeStamperApp.java
+++ b/src/jdbernard/timestamper/TimeStamperApp.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 package jdbernard.timestamper;
 
+import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileInputStream;
 import java.io.FileOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -51,19 +52,16 @@ implements Application.ExitListener {
 
         try {
             config = new Properties();
-            FileInputStream cfgIn = new FileInputStream("timestamper.config");
+            File cfgFile = new File("timestamper.config");
+            if (!cfgFile.exists()) cfgFile.createNewFile();
+            FileInputStream cfgIn = new FileInputStream(cfgFile);
             config.load(cfgIn);
             cfgIn.close();
         } catch (IOException ioe) {
             log.warning("Could not load configuration options.");
         }
 
-        try {
-            activeTimeline = Timeline.readFromFile(
-                config.getProperty("lastUsedTimelineFilename"));
-        } catch (IOException ioe) {
-            log.warning("Could not load the last used timeline file.");
-        }
+        loadTimeline(config.getProperty("lastUsedTimelineFilename"));
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/jdbernard/timestamper/TimeStamperView.java b/src/jdbernard/timestamper/TimeStamperView.java
index 1fd9796..30b8b57 100755
--- a/src/jdbernard/timestamper/TimeStamperView.java
+++ b/src/jdbernard/timestamper/TimeStamperView.java
@@ -73,10 +73,12 @@ public class TimeStamperView extends FrameView implements MouseMotionListener {
         Timeline t = ((TimeStamperApp) getApplication()).getActiveTimeline();
         Timeline.TimelineMarker lastMarker = t.getLastMarker(new Date());
 
-        mostRecentTask = lastMarker.getTimestamp();
-        startTimeLabel.setText(Timeline.shortFormat.format(lastMarker.getTimestamp()));
+        if (lastMarker != null) {
+            mostRecentTask = lastMarker.getTimestamp();
+            startTimeLabel.setText(Timeline.shortFormat.format(lastMarker.getTimestamp()));
 
-        taskTextField.setText(lastMarker.getMark());
+            taskTextField.setText(lastMarker.getMark());
+        }
     }
 
     /** This method is called from within the constructor to
@@ -401,9 +403,11 @@ private void optionsButtonMouseClicked(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {//GEN-FIR
         Timeline t = ((TimeStamperApp) getApplication()).getActiveTimeline();
         Timeline.TimelineMarker lastMarker = t.getLastMarker(new Date());
 
-        mostRecentTask = lastMarker.getTimestamp();
-        startTimeLabel.setText(Timeline.shortFormat.format(lastMarker.getTimestamp()));
+        if (lastMarker != null) {
+            mostRecentTask = lastMarker.getTimestamp();
+            startTimeLabel.setText(Timeline.shortFormat.format(lastMarker.getTimestamp()));
 
-        taskTextField.setText(lastMarker.getMark());
+            taskTextField.setText(lastMarker.getMark());
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/timestamper.config b/timestamper.config
deleted file mode 100755
index e8de75c..0000000
--- a/timestamper.config
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-#
-#Fri Aug 29 18:18:08 CDT 2008
-lastUsedTimelineFilename=default-timeline.txt
-lastUsedTimelineFile=default-timeline.txt