diff --git a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppAdmin.cpp b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppAdmin.cpp
index 0e9e9493..0ca4644c 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppAdmin.cpp
+++ b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppAdmin.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,9 @@ bool PmuppAdminXMLParser::startElement( const QString&, const QString&,
                                         const QString& qName,
                                         const QXmlAttributes& )
 {
-  if (qName == "marker") {
+  if (qName == "path_file_name") {
+    fKeyWord = eRecentFile;
+  } else if (qName == "marker") {
     fKeyWord = eMarker;
   } else if (qName == "color") {
     fKeyWord = eColor;
@@ -148,6 +150,9 @@ bool PmuppAdminXMLParser::characters(const QString& str)
   QStringList tok;
 
   switch (fKeyWord) {
+    case eRecentFile:
+      fAdmin->addRecentFile(QString(str.toLatin1()).trimmed());
+      break;
     case eMarker:
       tok = str.split(",", QString::SkipEmptyParts);
 
@@ -330,7 +335,42 @@ PmuppAdmin::PmuppAdmin() : QObject()
  */
 PmuppAdmin::~PmuppAdmin()
 {
-  // nothing to be done for now
+  saveRecentFiles();
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * <p>Add recent path-file name to the internal ring-buffer.
+ *
+ * \param str recent path-file name to be added
+ */
+void PmuppAdmin::addRecentFile(const QString str)
+{
+  // check if file name is not already present
+  for (int i=0; i<fRecentFile.size(); i++) {
+    if (str == fRecentFile[i])
+      return;
+  }
+
+  fRecentFile.push_front(str);
+  if (fRecentFile.size() > MAX_RECENT_FILES)
+    fRecentFile.resize(MAX_RECENT_FILES);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * @brief PmuppAdmin::getRecentFile
+ * @param idx
+ * @return
+ */
+QString PmuppAdmin::getRecentFile(int idx)
+{
+  QString str("");
+
+  if ((idx >= 0) && (idx < fRecentFile.size()))
+    str = fRecentFile[idx];
+
+  return str;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -439,6 +479,76 @@ void PmuppAdmin::setColor(int r, int g, int b, QString name)
   fColor.push_back(color);
 }
 
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * <p>Merges the recent file ring buffer into mupp_startup.xml and saves it.
+ * If a local copy is present it will be saved there, otherwise the master file
+ * will be used.
+ */
+void PmuppAdmin::saveRecentFiles()
+{
+  // check if mupp_startup.xml is present in the current directory, and if yes, use this file to
+  // save the recent file names otherwise use the "master" mupp_startup.xml
+
+  QString str("");
+  QString fln = QString("./mupp_startup.xml");
+  if (!QFile::exists(fln)) {
+    QProcessEnvironment env = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment();
+    fln = QString("%1/.musrfit/mupp/mupp_startup.xml").arg(env.value("HOME"));
+  }
+
+  if (QFile::exists(fln)) { // administration file present
+    QVector<QString> data;
+    QFile file(fln);
+    if (!file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly | QIODevice::Text)) {
+      cerr << endl << ">> PmuppAdmin::saveRecentFile: **ERROR** Cannot open " << fln.toLatin1().data() << " for reading." << endl;
+      return;
+    }
+    QTextStream fin(&file);
+    while (!fin.atEnd()) {
+      data.push_back(fin.readLine());
+    }
+    file.close();
+
+    // remove <path_file_name> from data
+    for (QVector<QString>::iterator it = data.begin(); it != data.end(); ++it) {
+      if (it->contains("<path_file_name>")) {
+        it = data.erase(it);
+        --it;
+      }
+    }
+
+    // add recent files
+    int i;
+    for (i=0; i<data.size(); i++) {
+      if (data[i].contains("<recent_files>"))
+        break;
+    }
+
+    if (i == data.size()) {
+      cerr << endl << ">> PmuppAdmin::saveRecentFile: **ERROR** " << fln.toLatin1().data() << " seems to be corrupt." << endl;
+      return;
+    }
+    i++;
+    for (int j=0; j<fRecentFile.size(); j++) {
+      str = "    <path_file_name>" + fRecentFile[j] + "</path_file_name>";
+      data.insert(i++, str);
+    }
+
+    if (!file.open(QIODevice::WriteOnly | QIODevice::Text)) {
+      cerr << endl << ">> PmuppAdmin::saveRecentFile: **ERROR** Cannot open " << fln.toLatin1().data() << " for reading." << endl;
+      return;
+    }
+    fin.setDevice(&file);
+    for (int i=0; i<data.size(); i++)
+      fin << data[i] << endl;
+    file.close();
+  } else {
+    QString msg("Failed to write mupp_startup.xml. Neither a local nor a global copy found.");
+    QMessageBox::warning(0, "WARNING", msg, QMessageBox::Ok, QMessageBox::NoButton);
+  }
+}
+
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
  * @brief PmuppAdmin::createMuppStartupFile
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppAdmin.h b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppAdmin.h
index 46f440b5..8238b2a1 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppAdmin.h
+++ b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppAdmin.h
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 #include <QPixmap>
 #include <QtXml>
 
+#include "mupp.h"
+
 class PmuppAdmin;
 
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -96,7 +98,7 @@ class PmuppAdminXMLParser : public QXmlDefaultHandler
     virtual ~PmuppAdminXMLParser() {}
 
   private:
-    enum EAdminKeyWords {eEmpty, eMarker, eColor};
+    enum EAdminKeyWords {eEmpty, eRecentFile, eMarker, eColor};
 
     bool startDocument();
     bool startElement( const QString&, const QString&, const QString& ,
@@ -127,6 +129,10 @@ class PmuppAdmin : public QObject
     PmuppAdmin();
     virtual ~PmuppAdmin();
 
+    void    addRecentFile(const QString str);
+    int     getNumRecentFiles() { return fRecentFile.size(); }
+    QString getRecentFile(int idx);
+
     int getNoOfMarkers() { return fMarker.size(); }
     QVector<PmuppMarker> getMarkers() { return fMarker; }
     PmuppMarker getMarker(int idx);
@@ -142,9 +148,12 @@ class PmuppAdmin : public QObject
   private:
     friend class PmuppAdminXMLParser;
 
+    QVector<QString> fRecentFile; ///< keep vector of recent path-file names
+
     QVector<PmuppMarker> fMarker;
     QVector<PmuppColor> fColor;
 
+    void saveRecentFiles(); ///< save recent file list
     void createMuppStartupFile(); ///< create default mupp_startup.xml
 };
 
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppGui.cpp b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppGui.cpp
index d627c91e..b2b9b11a 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppGui.cpp
+++ b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppGui.cpp
@@ -470,6 +470,15 @@ void PmuppGui::setupFileActions()
   }
   tb->addAction(a);
 
+  fRecentFilesMenu = menu->addMenu( tr("Recent Files") );
+  for (int i=0; i<MAX_RECENT_FILES; i++) {
+    fRecentFilesAction[i] = new QAction(fRecentFilesMenu);
+    fRecentFilesAction[i]->setVisible(false);
+    connect( fRecentFilesAction[i], SIGNAL(triggered()), this, SLOT(fileOpenRecent()));
+    fRecentFilesMenu->addAction(fRecentFilesAction[i]);
+  }
+  fillRecentFiles();
+
   a = new QAction( tr( "E&xit" ), this );
   a->setShortcut( tr("Ctrl+Q") );
   a->setStatusTip( tr("Exit Program") );
@@ -580,6 +589,34 @@ void PmuppGui::fileOpen()
   QString errorMsg("");
   if (!fParamDataHandler->ReadParamFile(list, errorMsg)) {
     QMessageBox::critical(this, "ERROR", errorMsg);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // populate the recent files
+  if (msrPresent || dbPresent) {
+    for (int i=0; i<list.size(); i++) {
+      fAdmin->addRecentFile(list[i]); // keep it in admin
+      fillRecentFiles();              // update menu
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * @brief PmuppGui::fileOpenRecent
+ */
+void PmuppGui::fileOpenRecent()
+{
+  QAction *action = qobject_cast<QAction *>(sender());
+
+  if (action) {
+    QStringList fln;
+    fln << action->text();
+    QString errorMsg("");
+    if (!fParamDataHandler->ReadParamFile(fln, errorMsg)) {
+      QMessageBox::critical(this, "ERROR", errorMsg);
+      return;
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -727,6 +764,18 @@ void PmuppGui::getTheme()
   }
 }
 
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * <p>fill the recent file list in the menu.
+ */
+void PmuppGui::fillRecentFiles()
+{
+  for (int i=0; i<fAdmin->getNumRecentFiles(); i++) {
+    fRecentFilesAction[i]->setText(fAdmin->getRecentFile(i));
+    fRecentFilesAction[i]->setVisible(true);
+  }
+}
+
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
  * @brief PmuppGui::readCmdHistory
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppGui.h b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppGui.h
index 4056b33d..22c2dea1 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppGui.h
+++ b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/PmuppGui.h
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ public:
 public slots:
   void aboutToQuit();
   void fileOpen();
+  void fileOpenRecent();
   void fileExit();
 
   void toolDumpCollections();
@@ -139,6 +140,9 @@ private:
 
   QWidget     *fCentralWidget;
 
+  QMenu *fRecentFilesMenu;   ///< recent file menu
+  QAction *fRecentFilesAction[MAX_RECENT_FILES]; ///< array of the recent file actions
+
   QBoxLayout  *fBoxLayout_Main;     // top->bottom (0)
   QBoxLayout  *fBoxLayout_Top;      // left->right (1)
   QGridLayout *fGridLayout_Left;    // 2 columns, 3 rows
@@ -174,6 +178,8 @@ private:
 
   void getTheme();
 
+  void fillRecentFiles();
+
   void readCmdHistory();
   void writeCmdHistory();
 
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/mupp.h b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/mupp.h
index a363a04e..379d9727 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/mupp.h
+++ b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/mupp.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 #include <sys/msg.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 
+#define MAX_RECENT_FILES 5
+
 #define PMUPP_MAX_MTEXT 512
 
 struct mbuf {
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/mupp_startup.xml.in b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/mupp_startup.xml.in
index e02c25cb..365e94d1 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/mupp_startup.xml.in
+++ b/src/musredit_qt5/mupp/mupp_startup.xml.in
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <mupp xmlns="http://lmu.web.psi.ch/musrfit/user/MUSR/WebHome.html">
     <comment>
         Defines default settings for the mupp helper program for musrfit
     </comment>
+    <recent_files>
+    </recent_files>
     <root_settings>
         <marker_list>
             <!-- Root marker numbers -->