diff --git a/src/core/UBApplication.cpp b/src/core/UBApplication.cpp
index d1ef381c..479f07a1 100644
--- a/src/core/UBApplication.cpp
+++ b/src/core/UBApplication.cpp
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ const QString UBApplication::mimeTypeUniboardPage = QString("application/vnd.mne
 const QString UBApplication::mimeTypeUniboardPageItem =  QString("application/vnd.mnemis-uniboard-page-item");
 const QString UBApplication::mimeTypeUniboardPageThumbnail = QString("application/vnd.mnemis-uniboard-thumbnail");
 
+QString UBApplication::fileToOpen = "";
+
 #if defined(Q_OS_OSX) || defined(Q_OS_LINUX)
 bool bIsMinimized = false;
 #endif
@@ -309,6 +311,14 @@ int UBApplication::exec(const QString& pFileToImport)
                                                         boardController->paletteManager()->rightPalette());
 
 
+    if (!UBApplication::fileToOpen.isEmpty())
+    {
+        if (!UBApplication::fileToOpen.endsWith("ubx"))
+           applicationController->importFile(UBApplication::fileToOpen);
+        else
+            applicationController->showMessage(tr("Cannot open your UBX file directly. Please import it in Documents mode instead"), false);
+    }
+
     connect(applicationController, SIGNAL(mainModeChanged(UBApplicationController::MainMode)),
             boardController->paletteManager(), SLOT(slot_changeMainMode(UBApplicationController::MainMode)));
 
@@ -575,10 +585,21 @@ bool UBApplication::eventFilter(QObject *obj, QEvent *event)
 
         UBPlatformUtils::setFrontProcess();
 
-        if (!fileToOpenEvent->file().endsWith("ubx"))
-            applicationController->importFile(fileToOpenEvent->file());
+        if (applicationController)
+        {
+            if (!fileToOpenEvent->file().endsWith("ubx"))
+                applicationController->importFile(fileToOpenEvent->file());
+            else
+                applicationController->showMessage(tr("Cannot open your UBX file directly. Please import it in Documents mode instead"), false);
+        }
         else
-            applicationController->showMessage(tr("Cannot open your UBX file directly. Please import it in Documents mode instead"), false);
+        {
+            //startup : progressdialog.exec() is called and fileOpenEvent is consumed too early
+            // we store the file and will import it when the documents tree is ready
+
+            UBApplication::fileToOpen = fileToOpenEvent->file();
+            return true;
+        }
     }
 
     if (event->type() == QEvent::TabletLeaveProximity)
diff --git a/src/core/UBApplication.h b/src/core/UBApplication.h
index 5f9442d7..5473804c 100644
--- a/src/core/UBApplication.h
+++ b/src/core/UBApplication.h
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ class UBApplication : public SingleApplication
         static const QString mimeTypeUniboardPageItem;
         static const QString mimeTypeUniboardPageThumbnail;
 
+        static QString fileToOpen;
+
         static void showMessage(const QString& message, bool showSpinningWheel = false);
         static void setDisabled(bool disable);