diff --git a/nw/config.py b/nw/config.py
index c7f4ab52..18f2bc8e 100644
--- a/nw/config.py
+++ b/nw/config.py
@@ -340,6 +340,10 @@ class Config:
         self.recentList.insert(0,recentPath)
         return
 
+    def clearRecent(self):
+        self.recentList = [""]*10
+        return
+
     def setConfPath(self, newPath):
         if newPath is None:
             return True
diff --git a/nw/gui/export.py b/nw/gui/export.py
index 1b33ade6..1032bb08 100644
--- a/nw/gui/export.py
+++ b/nw/gui/export.py
@@ -122,6 +122,15 @@ class GuiExport(QDialog):
         pFormat   = self.tabPandoc.outputFormat.currentData()
         tFormat   = GuiExportPandoc.FMT_VIA[pFormat]
 
+        if saveTo.startswith("~"):
+            saveTo = path.expanduser(saveTo)
+
+        exportDir = path.dirname(saveTo)
+        if not path.isdir(exportDir):
+            self.theParent.makeAlert("The export folder does not exist.",nwAlert.ERROR)
+            self.exportStatus.setText("Export failed ...")
+            return False
+
         nItems = len(self.theProject.treeOrder)
         if eFormat == GuiExportMain.FMT_PDOC:
             nItems += int(0.2*nItems)
@@ -288,6 +297,9 @@ class GuiExport(QDialog):
         hScene    = self.tabMain.hideScene.isChecked()
         hSection  = self.tabMain.hideSection.isChecked()
 
+        if saveTo.startswith("~"):
+            saveTo = path.expanduser(saveTo)
+
         self.optState.setSetting("wNovel",   wNovel)
         self.optState.setSetting("wNotes",   wNotes)
         self.optState.setSetting("eFormat",  eFormat)
@@ -563,6 +575,8 @@ class GuiExportMain(QWidget):
 
     def _checkFileExtension(self):
         saveTo   = self.exportPath.text()
+        if saveTo.startswith("~"):
+            saveTo = path.expanduser(saveTo)
         fileBits = path.splitext(saveTo)
         if self.currFormat > 0 and fileBits[0].strip() != "":
             saveTo = fileBits[0]+self.FMT_EXT[self.currFormat]
diff --git a/nw/gui/mainmenu.py b/nw/gui/mainmenu.py
index e2f5775d..7a42f6cf 100644
--- a/nw/gui/mainmenu.py
+++ b/nw/gui/mainmenu.py
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ class GuiMainMenu(QMenuBar):
         return
 
     def updateRecentProjects(self):
+
         self.recentMenu.clear()
         for n in range(len(self.mainConf.recentList)):
             recentProject = self.mainConf.recentList[n]
@@ -79,6 +80,13 @@ class GuiMainMenu(QMenuBar):
             menuItem = QAction("%s" % recentProject, self.projMenu)
             menuItem.triggered.connect(lambda menuItem, n=n : self.openRecentProject(menuItem, n))
             self.recentMenu.addAction(menuItem)
+
+        self.recentMenu.addSeparator()
+        menuItem = QAction("Clear Recent Projects", self)
+        menuItem.setStatusTip("Clear the list of recent projects")
+        menuItem.triggered.connect(self._clearRecentProjects)
+        self.recentMenu.addAction(menuItem)
+
         return
 
     def updateSpellCheck(self):
@@ -150,6 +158,11 @@ class GuiMainMenu(QMenuBar):
         QDesktopServices.openUrl(QUrl(nw.__docurl__))
         return True
 
+    def _clearRecentProjects(self):
+        self.mainConf.clearRecent()
+        self.updateRecentProjects()
+        return True
+
     ##
     #  Menu Builders
     ##
diff --git a/nw/project/project.py b/nw/project/project.py
index 62345a63..df298dc8 100644
--- a/nw/project/project.py
+++ b/nw/project/project.py
@@ -358,6 +358,8 @@ class NWProject():
         if projPath is None or projPath == "":
             self.projPath = None
         else:
+            if projPath.startswith("~"):
+                projPath = path.expanduser(projPath)
             self.projPath = projPath
         self.setProjectChanged(True)
         return True