diff --git a/src/config.zig b/src/config.zig
index 4f87967..2b30ba5 100644
--- a/src/config.zig
+++ b/src/config.zig
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ animation_max_lag: usize = 50, //milliseconds
 hover_time_ms: usize = 500, //milliseconds
 input_idle_time_ms: usize = 150, //milliseconds
 idle_actions: []const IdleAction = &default_actions,
+idle_commands: ?[]const []const u8 = null, // a list of simple commands
 enable_format_on_save: bool = false,
 restore_last_cursor_position: bool = true,
 follow_cursor_on_buffer_switch: bool = false, //scroll cursor into view on buffer switch
@@ -32,6 +33,9 @@ limit_auto_save_file_types: ?[]const []const u8 = null, // null means *all*
 enable_prefix_keyhints: bool = true,
 enable_auto_find: bool = true,
 
+auto_run_time_seconds: usize = 120, //seconds
+auto_run_commands: ?[]const []const u8 = &.{"save_session_quiet"}, // a list of simple commands
+
 indent_size: usize = 4,
 tab_width: usize = 8,
 indent_mode: IndentMode = .auto,
diff --git a/src/tui/mainview.zig b/src/tui/mainview.zig
index 0147369..5db8785 100644
--- a/src/tui/mainview.zig
+++ b/src/tui/mainview.zig
@@ -355,6 +355,26 @@ const cmds = struct {
     }
     pub const quit_without_saving_meta: Meta = .{ .description = "Quit without saving" };
 
+    pub fn save_session(self: *Self, _: Ctx) Result {
+        const logger = log.logger("session");
+        defer logger.deinit();
+        logger.print("saving session...", .{});
+        try self.write_restore_info();
+        logger.print("session saved", .{});
+    }
+    pub const save_session_meta: Meta = .{ .description = "Save session" };
+
+    pub fn save_session_quiet(self: *Self, _: Ctx) Result {
+        try self.write_restore_info();
+    }
+    pub const save_session_quiet_meta: Meta = .{};
+
+    pub fn save_session_and_quit(self: *Self, _: Ctx) Result {
+        try self.write_restore_info();
+        try tp.self_pid().send("quit");
+    }
+    pub const save_session_and_quit_meta: Meta = .{ .description = "Save session and quit" };
+
     pub fn open_project_cwd(self: *Self, _: Ctx) Result {
         if (try project_manager.open(".")) |state|
             try self.restore_state(state);
@@ -789,9 +809,6 @@ const cmds = struct {
     pub const close_buffer_meta: Meta = .{ .arguments = &.{.string} };
 
     pub fn restore_session(self: *Self, _: Ctx) Result {
-        if (tp.env.get().str("project").len == 0) {
-            try open_project_cwd(self, .{});
-        }
         try self.create_editor();
         try self.read_restore_info();
         tui.need_render();
@@ -1665,6 +1682,8 @@ pub fn write_restore_info(self: *Self) WriteStateError!void {
 }
 
 pub fn write_state(self: *Self, writer: *std.Io.Writer) WriteStateError!void {
+    const current_project = tp.env.get().str("project");
+    try cbor.writeValue(writer, current_project);
     if (self.get_active_editor()) |editor| {
         try cbor.writeValue(writer, editor.file_path);
         editor.update_meta();
@@ -1701,20 +1720,36 @@ fn read_restore_info(self: *Self) !void {
     const size = try file.readAll(buf);
     var iter: []const u8 = buf[0..size];
 
-    try self.extract_state(&iter);
+    try self.extract_state(&iter, .with_project);
 }
 
 fn restore_state(self: *Self, state: []const u8) !void {
     var iter = state;
-    try self.extract_state(&iter);
+    try self.extract_state(&iter, .no_project);
 }
 
-fn extract_state(self: *Self, iter: *[]const u8) !void {
+fn extract_state(self: *Self, iter: *[]const u8, mode: enum { no_project, with_project }) !void {
     const logger = log.logger("extract_state");
     defer logger.deinit();
     tp.trace(tp.channel.debug, .{ "mainview", "extract" });
+    var project_dir: []const u8 = undefined;
     var editor_file_path: ?[]const u8 = undefined;
     var prev_len = iter.len;
+    if (!try cbor.matchValue(iter, cbor.extract(&project_dir))) {
+        logger.print("restore project_dir failed", .{});
+        return error.MatchStoredProjectFailed;
+    }
+
+    switch (mode) {
+        .with_project => {
+            _ = try project_manager.open(project_dir);
+            tui.rdr().set_terminal_working_directory(project_dir);
+            if (self.top_bar) |bar| _ = try bar.msg(.{ "PRJ", "open" });
+            if (self.bottom_bar) |bar| _ = try bar.msg(.{ "PRJ", "open" });
+        },
+        .no_project => {},
+    }
+
     if (!try cbor.matchValue(iter, cbor.extract(&editor_file_path))) {
         logger.print("restore editor_file_path failed", .{});
         return error.MatchFilePathFailed;
diff --git a/src/tui/tui.zig b/src/tui/tui.zig
index f04f7d3..aa960c1 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui.zig
+++ b/src/tui/tui.zig
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ color_scheme_locked: bool = false,
 hint_mode: HintMode = .prefix,
 last_palette: ?LastPalette = null,
 
+auto_run_timer: ?tp.Cancellable = null,
+
 const HintMode = enum { none, prefix, all };
 
 const LastPalette = struct {
@@ -257,9 +259,15 @@ fn init_delayed(self: *Self) command.Result {
             try cmds.enter_mode(self, command.Context.fmt(.{keybind.default_mode}));
         }
     }
+    self.start_auto_run_timer();
 }
 
 fn deinit(self: *Self) void {
+    if (self.auto_run_timer) |*t| {
+        t.cancel() catch {};
+        t.deinit();
+        self.auto_run_timer = null;
+    }
     if (self.input_idle_timer) |*t| {
         t.cancel() catch {};
         t.deinit();
@@ -310,6 +318,9 @@ fn handle_input_idle(self: *Self) void {
     var buf: [32]u8 = undefined;
     const m = tp.message.fmtbuf(&buf, .{"input_idle"}) catch return;
     _ = self.send_widgets(tp.self_pid(), m) catch return;
+    const idle_cmds = self.config_.idle_commands orelse return;
+    for (idle_cmds) |cmd|
+        command.executeName(cmd, .{}) catch |e| self.logger.print_err("idlerun", "idle run command '{s}' failed: {t}", .{ cmd, e });
 }
 
 fn update_input_idle_timer(self: *Self) void {
@@ -346,6 +357,23 @@ fn update_mouse_idle_timer(self: *Self) void {
     self.mouse_idle_timer = tp.self_pid().delay_send_cancellable(self.allocator, "tui.mouse_idle_timer", delay, .{"MOUSE_IDLE"}) catch return;
 }
 
+fn auto_run(self: *Self) void {
+    const auto_run_cmds = self.config_.auto_run_commands orelse return;
+    for (auto_run_cmds) |cmd|
+        command.executeName(cmd, .{}) catch |e| self.logger.print_err("autorun", "auto run command '{s}' failed: {t}", .{ cmd, e });
+    self.start_auto_run_timer();
+}
+
+fn start_auto_run_timer(self: *Self) void {
+    const delay = std.time.us_per_s * @as(u64, self.config_.auto_run_time_seconds);
+    if (self.auto_run_timer) |*t| {
+        t.cancel() catch {};
+        t.deinit();
+        self.auto_run_timer = null;
+    }
+    self.auto_run_timer = tp.self_pid().delay_send_cancellable(self.allocator, "tui.auto_run_timer", delay, .{"AUTO_RUN"}) catch return;
+}
+
 fn receive(self: *Self, from: tp.pid_ref, m: tp.message) tp.result {
     const frame = tracy.initZone(@src(), .{ .name = "tui" });
     defer frame.deinit();
@@ -510,6 +538,13 @@ fn receive_safe(self: *Self, from: tp.pid_ref, m: tp.message) !void {
         return;
     }
 
+    if (try m.match(.{"AUTO_RUN"})) {
+        if (self.auto_run_timer) |*t| t.deinit();
+        self.auto_run_timer = null;
+        self.auto_run();
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (try m.match(.{ "fontface", "done" })) {
         return self.enter_overlay_mode(@import("mode/overlay/fontface_palette.zig").Type);
     }