diff --git a/nw/core/project.py b/nw/core/project.py
index 20ca89e9..517e10ef 100644
--- a/nw/core/project.py
+++ b/nw/core/project.py
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ class NWProject():
         hScene = self.newFile("New Scene",     nwItemClass.NOVEL, hChapt)
         self.projOpened = time()
         self.setProjectChanged(True)
+        self.saveProject(autoSave=True)
         return True
 
     def clearProject(self):
@@ -674,7 +675,7 @@ class NWProject():
     #  Setters
     ##
 
-    def setProjectPath(self, projPath):
+    def setProjectPath(self, projPath, newProject=False):
         """Set the project storage path, and also expand ~ to the user
         directory using the path library.
         """
@@ -684,7 +685,18 @@ class NWProject():
             if projPath.startswith("~"):
                 projPath = path.expanduser(projPath)
             self.projPath = path.abspath(projPath)
+
+        if newProject and self.mainConf.showGUI:
+            if listdir(self.projPath):
+                self.theParent.makeAlert((
+                    "New project folder is not empty. "
+                    "Each project requires a dedicated project folder."
+                ), nwAlert.ERROR)
+                return False
+
+        self.ensureFolderStructure()
         self.setProjectChanged(True)
+
         return True
 
     def setProjectName(self, projName):
diff --git a/nw/guimain.py b/nw/guimain.py
index a3b7d46e..67bb9fe0 100644
--- a/nw/guimain.py
+++ b/nw/guimain.py
@@ -294,12 +294,14 @@ class GuiMain(QMainWindow):
             return False
 
         logger.info("Creating new project")
-        self.theProject.newProject()
-        self.theProject.setProjectPath(projPath)
-        self.rebuildTree()
-        self.saveProject()
-        self.hasProject = True
-        self.statusBar.setRefTime(self.theProject.projOpened)
+        if self.theProject.setProjectPath(projPath, newProject=True):
+            self.theProject.newProject()
+            self.rebuildTree()
+            self.saveProject()
+            self.hasProject = True
+            self.statusBar.setRefTime(self.theProject.projOpened)
+        else:
+            return False
 
         return True