diff --git a/synfig-studio/src/gui/app.cpp b/synfig-studio/src/gui/app.cpp
index 211adb1..6de1c51 100644
--- a/synfig-studio/src/gui/app.cpp
+++ b/synfig-studio/src/gui/app.cpp
@@ -1692,6 +1692,8 @@ App::App(const synfig::String& basepath, int *argc, char ***argv):
 			gamma.set_gamma(1.0/2.2);
 			set_workspace_default();
 		}
+		if (!load_settings("workspace.layout"))
+			set_workspace_default();
 		load_file_window_size();
 
 		// Init Tools must be done after load_accel_map() : accelerators keys
diff --git a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dock_toolbox.cpp b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dock_toolbox.cpp
index fdac3d6..4f9633f 100644
--- a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dock_toolbox.cpp
+++ b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dock_toolbox.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ Dock_Toolbox::Dock_Toolbox():
 
 	Widget_Defaults* widget_defaults(manage(new Widget_Defaults()));
 
-	Gtk::Paned *tool_box_paned = manage(new Gtk::Paned(Gtk::ORIENTATION_VERTICAL));
+	tool_box_paned = manage(new Gtk::Paned(Gtk::ORIENTATION_VERTICAL));
 	tool_box_paned->pack1(*scrolled_window, Gtk::PACK_EXPAND_WIDGET|Gtk::PACK_SHRINK, 3);
 	tool_box_paned->pack2(*widget_defaults, Gtk::PACK_EXPAND_WIDGET|Gtk::PACK_SHRINK, 3);
 	tool_box_paned->set_position(200);
@@ -134,6 +134,23 @@ Dock_Toolbox::~Dock_Toolbox()
 		studio::App::dock_toolbox=NULL;
 }
 
+void Dock_Toolbox::write_layout_string(string& params) const
+{
+	char num_str[6];
+	snprintf(num_str, 5, "%d", tool_box_paned->get_position());
+	params += std::string(num_str);
+}
+
+void Dock_Toolbox::read_layout_string(const string& params) const
+{
+	try {
+		int pos = std::stoi(params.c_str());
+		tool_box_paned->set_position(pos);
+	} catch (...) {
+		// ignores invalid value and let it use the default one
+	}
+}
+
 void
 Dock_Toolbox::set_active_state(const synfig::String& statename)
 {
diff --git a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dock_toolbox.h b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dock_toolbox.h
index 370de50..4fb2a9a 100644
--- a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dock_toolbox.h
+++ b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dock_toolbox.h
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@
 
 /* === C L A S S E S & S T R U C T S ======================================= */
 
+namespace Gtk {
+class Paned;
+}
+
 namespace studio {
 
 class StateManager;
@@ -61,6 +65,7 @@ class Dock_Toolbox : public Dockable
 
 	Gtk::ToolItemGroup *tool_item_group;
 	Gtk::VBox *tool_box;
+	Gtk::Paned *tool_box_paned;
 
 	std::map<synfig::String,Gtk::ToggleToolButton *> state_button_map;
 
@@ -85,6 +90,8 @@ public:
 	Dock_Toolbox();
 	virtual ~Dock_Toolbox();
 
+	virtual void write_layout_string(std::string &params) const;
+	virtual void read_layout_string(const std::string &params) const;
 };
 
 }; // END of namespace studio
diff --git a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockable.cpp b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockable.cpp
index 3dab8f0..d5cf170 100644
--- a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockable.cpp
+++ b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockable.cpp
@@ -284,3 +284,11 @@ Dockable::create_tab_label()
 
 	return event_box;
 }
+
+void Dockable::write_layout_string(std::string& /*params*/) const
+{
+}
+
+void Dockable::read_layout_string(const std::string& /*params*/) const
+{
+}
diff --git a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockable.h b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockable.h
index 136077f..871c1e9 100644
--- a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockable.h
+++ b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockable.h
@@ -100,6 +100,11 @@ public:
 	virtual void present();
 	virtual Gtk::Widget* create_tab_label();
 
+	/// Appends serialized extra layout info of this dockable
+	/// \param params[out] serialized data. It must not have ']' or '|' characters.
+	virtual void write_layout_string(std::string &params) const;
+	virtual void read_layout_string(const std::string &params) const;
+
 private:
 	void on_drag_data_get(const Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::DragContext>&, Gtk::SelectionData& selection_data, guint info, guint time);
 	void on_drag_end(const Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::DragContext>&context);
diff --git a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockmanager.cpp b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockmanager.cpp
index c377783..aaa7bf2 100644
--- a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockmanager.cpp
+++ b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockmanager.cpp
@@ -125,12 +125,12 @@ class studio::DockSettings : public synfigapp::Settings
 public:
 	DockSettings(DockManager* dock_manager):dock_manager(dock_manager)
 	{
-		synfigapp::Main::settings().add_domain(this,"dock");
+		synfigapp::Main::settings().add_domain(this,"workspace");
 	}
 
 	virtual ~DockSettings()
 	{
-		synfigapp::Main::settings().remove_domain("dock");
+		synfigapp::Main::settings().remove_domain("workspace");
 	}
 
 	virtual bool get_value(const synfig::String& key_, synfig::String& value)const
@@ -400,6 +400,17 @@ std::string DockManager::read_string(std::string &x)
 	return res;
 }
 
+std::string DockManager::extract_dockable_name(std::string &x) const
+{
+	size_t pos = x.find(",");
+	std::string res = x.substr(0, pos);
+	if (pos == std::string::npos)
+		x.clear();
+	else
+		x = x.substr(pos+1); // skip comma
+	return res;
+}
+
 int DockManager::read_int(std::string &x)
 {
 	return strtol(read_string(x).c_str(), NULL, 10);
@@ -455,10 +466,13 @@ Gtk::Widget* DockManager::read_widget(std::string &x)
 		DockBook *book = NULL;
 		do
 		{
-			std::string name = read_string(x);
+			std::string dockable_name_params = read_string(x);
+			std::string name = extract_dockable_name(dockable_name_params);
 			if (!name.empty())
 			{
 				Dockable &dockable = find_dockable(name);
+				if (!dockable_name_params.empty())
+					dockable.read_layout_string(dockable_name_params);
 				Gtk::Container *container = dockable.get_parent();
 				if (container) {
 					container->remove(dockable);
@@ -467,22 +481,6 @@ Gtk::Widget* DockManager::read_widget(std::string &x)
 				if (book == NULL) { book = manage(new DockBook()); book->show(); }
 				book->add(dockable);
 			}			
-			/*std::string name = read_string(x);
-			if (!name.empty())
-			{
-				Dockable *dockable = &find_dockable(name);
-				if (dockable != NULL)
-				{
-					Gtk::Container *container = dockable->get_parent();
-					if (container)
-					{
-						container->remove(*dockable);
-						containers_to_remove_[container] = true;
-					}
-					if (book == NULL) { book = manage(new DockBook()); book->show(); }
-					book->add(*dockable);
-				}
-			}*/
 		} while (read_separator(x));
 
 		return book;
@@ -646,7 +644,17 @@ void DockManager::write_widget(std::string &x, Gtk::Widget* widget)
 			if (dockable)
 			{
 				write_separator(x);
-				write_string(x, dockable->get_name());
+				std::string name_params = dockable->get_name();
+				std::string params;
+				dockable->write_layout_string(params);
+				if (!params.empty()) {
+					if (params.find_first_of("]|") != std::string::npos) {
+						synfig::warning("Ignoring %s's layout info: it must not have ] or | characters.", dockable->get_name().c_str());
+					} else {
+						name_params += "," + params;
+					}
+				}
+				write_string(x, name_params);
 			}
 		}
 		write_separator(x, false);
diff --git a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockmanager.h b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockmanager.h
index 75867de..256f7c4 100644
--- a/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockmanager.h
+++ b/synfig-studio/src/gui/docks/dockmanager.h
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ private:
 
 	bool         read_separator(std::string &x);
 	std::string  read_string(std::string &x);
+	std::string  extract_dockable_name(std::string &x) const;
 	int          read_int(std::string &x);
 	bool         read_bool(std::string &x);
 	Gtk::Widget* read_widget(std::string &x);
diff --git a/synfig-studio/src/synfigapp/settings.cpp b/synfig-studio/src/synfigapp/settings.cpp
index df2ed76..746bb0c 100644
--- a/synfig-studio/src/synfigapp/settings.cpp
+++ b/synfig-studio/src/synfigapp/settings.cpp
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ Settings::load_from_file(const synfig::String& filename, const synfig::String& k
 	std::ifstream file(filename.c_str());
 	if(!file)
 		return false;
+	bool loaded_filter = false;
 	while(file)
 	{
 		std::string line;
@@ -263,6 +264,8 @@ Settings::load_from_file(const synfig::String& filename, const synfig::String& k
 				{
 					if(!set_value(key,value))
 						synfig::warning("Settings::load_from_file(): Key \"%s\" with a value of \"%s\" was rejected.",key.c_str(),value.c_str());
+					else
+						loaded_filter = true;
 				}
 			}
 			catch(...)
@@ -272,5 +275,7 @@ Settings::load_from_file(const synfig::String& filename, const synfig::String& k
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	if (!key_filter.empty() && !loaded_filter)
+		return false;
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/synfig-studio/src/synfigapp/settings.h b/synfig-studio/src/synfigapp/settings.h
index 2a7b159..22a99af 100644
--- a/synfig-studio/src/synfigapp/settings.h
+++ b/synfig-studio/src/synfigapp/settings.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public:
 	bool save_to_string(synfig::String& data);
 
 	//! \brief Load optionally filtered settings from given synfig settings format filename
-	//! \return false if file open failed, else true.
+	//! \return false if file open failed, else true. If key_filter is set, return false if value could not be loaded.
 	//! \sa		set_value
 	//! \Param[in] filename, the synfig settings format filename. Should be aboslute path.
 	//! \Param[in] key_filter, optional, string use to filter the settings key. No wildcard only full equal string test.