diff --git a/ide/buildmanager.pas b/ide/buildmanager.pas
index caed447da4..b019ee0a63 100644
--- a/ide/buildmanager.pas
+++ b/ide/buildmanager.pas
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ end;
 
 constructor TBuildManager.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
 begin
-  EnvironmentOptions := TEnvironmentOptions.Create(Application.ExeName);
+  EnvironmentOptions := TEnvironmentOptions.Create;
   IDEEnvironmentOptions := EnvironmentOptions;
   EnvironmentOptions.IsGlobalMode:=@EnvironmentOptionsIsGlobalMode;
 
diff --git a/ide/frames/desktop_options.pas b/ide/frames/desktop_options.pas
index 8938a99ae0..78c356af0e 100644
--- a/ide/frames/desktop_options.pas
+++ b/ide/frames/desktop_options.pas
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ begin
         AFilename:=SaveDialog.Filename;
         if ExtractFileExt(AFilename)='' then
           AFilename:=AFilename+'.lds';
-        AnEnvironmentOptions := TEnvironmentOptions.Create(Application.ExeName);
+        AnEnvironmentOptions := TEnvironmentOptions.Create;
         try
           AnEnvironmentOptions.Filename := AFilename;
           DoSaveSettings(AnEnvironmentOptions);
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ begin
            +'|'+dlgFilterAll+' ('+GetAllFilesMask+')|' + GetAllFilesMask;
       if OpenDialog.Execute then
       begin
-        AnEnvironmentOptions := TEnvironmentOptions.Create(Application.ExeName);
+        AnEnvironmentOptions := TEnvironmentOptions.Create;
         try
           AnEnvironmentOptions.Filename := OpenDialog.Filename;
           AnEnvironmentOptions.Load(true);
diff --git a/ide/lazarus.lpi b/ide/lazarus.lpi
index d7b0d5a5a1..0df46ec03b 100644
--- a/ide/lazarus.lpi
+++ b/ide/lazarus.lpi
@@ -1219,6 +1219,7 @@
       <Unit>
         <Filename Value="helpoptions.pas"/>
         <IsPartOfProject Value="True"/>
+        <UnitName Value="HelpOptions"/>
       </Unit>
       <Unit>
         <Filename Value="findinfilesdlg.pas"/>
diff --git a/ide/main.pp b/ide/main.pp
index 7227108a37..5c074fe090 100644
--- a/ide/main.pp
+++ b/ide/main.pp
@@ -1248,8 +1248,9 @@ begin
     CreateConfig;
     Load(false);
   end;
+  AddDefaultRecentProjects;            // Add some initial recent projects.
 
-  // read language and lazarusdir paramters, needed for translation
+  // read language and lazarusdir parameters, needed for translation
   if Application.HasOption('language') then
   begin
     debugln('Hint: (lazarus) [TMainIDE.LoadGlobalOptions] overriding language with command line: ',
diff --git a/ide/packages/ideconfig/environmentopts.pp b/ide/packages/ideconfig/environmentopts.pp
index d8e9db8f26..2b0112d8c1 100644
--- a/ide/packages/ideconfig/environmentopts.pp
+++ b/ide/packages/ideconfig/environmentopts.pp
@@ -247,7 +247,6 @@ type
 
   TEnvironmentOptions = class(TIDEEnvironmentOptions)
   private
-    FExePath: string;  // ExtractFilePath(Application.ExeName)
     FFppkgCheck: boolean;
     fRegisteredSubConfig: TObjectList;
     // config file
@@ -307,7 +306,7 @@ type
     FNewProjectTemplateAtStart: string;
     FMultipleInstances: TIDEMultipleInstancesOption;
     // Prevent repopulating Recent project files menu with example projects if it was already cleared up.
-    FAlreadyPopulatedRecentFiles : Boolean;
+    FAlreadyPopulatedRecentFiles: Boolean;
     //other recent settings
     FLastEventMethodCCResult: TCodeCreationDlgResult;
     FLastVariableCCResult: TCodeCreationDlgResult;
@@ -371,7 +370,7 @@ type
     function SubConfigCount: integer;
     property SubConfig[Index: Integer]: TIDESubOptions read GetSubConfig;
   public
-    constructor Create(AExeName: string);
+    constructor Create;
     destructor Destroy; override;
     procedure Load(OnlyDesktop: boolean);
     procedure Save(OnlyDesktop: boolean);
@@ -477,8 +476,8 @@ type
                                                write FNewProjectTemplateAtStart;
     property MultipleInstances: TIDEMultipleInstancesOption read FMultipleInstances
                                                            write FMultipleInstances;
-    property FileDialogFilter: string read FFileDialogFilter write FFileDialogFilter;
-
+    property AlreadyPopulatedRecentFiles: Boolean read FAlreadyPopulatedRecentFiles
+                                                 write FAlreadyPopulatedRecentFiles;
     // other recent settings
     property LastEventMethodCCResult: TCodeCreationDlgResult
       read FLastEventMethodCCResult write FLastEventMethodCCResult;
@@ -516,8 +515,9 @@ type
     // comboboxes
     property DropDownCount: Integer read FDropDownCount write FDropDownCount;
     // default template for each 'new item' category: Name=Path, Value=TemplateName
-    property NewUnitTemplate: string read FNewUnitTemplate write FNewUnitTemplate;
     property NewFormTemplate: string read FNewFormTemplate write FNewFormTemplate;
+    property NewUnitTemplate: string read FNewUnitTemplate write FNewUnitTemplate;
+    property FileDialogFilter: string read FFileDialogFilter write FFileDialogFilter;
   end;
 
 var
@@ -658,12 +658,11 @@ end;
 
 { TEnvironmentOptions }
 
-constructor TEnvironmentOptions.Create(AExeName: string);
+constructor TEnvironmentOptions.Create;
 var
   o: TEnvOptParseType;
 begin
   inherited Create;
-  FExePath := ExtractFilePath(AExeName);
   fRegisteredSubConfig := TObjectList.Create(False);
   for o:=low(FParseValues) to high(FParseValues) do
     FParseValues[o].ParseStamp:=CTInvalidChangeStamp;
@@ -943,18 +942,6 @@ end;
 
 procedure TEnvironmentOptions.Load(OnlyDesktop: boolean);
 
-  procedure AddRecentProjectInitial(aProjPath, aProjFile: string);
-  // Add a project to the list of recent projects if the project has write access.
-  // The check can be removed when the IDE allows compiling read-only projects.
-  var
-    WholeFilePath: String;
-  begin
-    aProjPath:=SwitchPathDelims(aProjPath, True);
-    WholeFilePath:=FExePath + aProjPath + aProjFile;
-    if FileIsWritable(aProjPath) and FileIsWritable(WholeFilePath) then
-      AddToRecentList(WholeFilePath,FRecentProjectFiles,FMaxRecentProjectFiles,rltFile);
-  end;
-
   procedure LoadPascalFileExt(const Path: string);
   begin
     fPascalFileExtension:=PascalExtToType(FXMLCfg.GetValue(
@@ -971,7 +958,7 @@ procedure TEnvironmentOptions.Load(OnlyDesktop: boolean);
     CCResult.Location:=CreateCodeLocationNameToLocation(FXMLCfg.GetValue(
       Path+'/Location',CreateCodeLocationNames[cclLocal]));
   end;
-  
+
 var
   Path, CurPath: String;
   i: Integer;
@@ -1052,16 +1039,6 @@ begin
     FUseUnitDlgOptions.AllUnits:=FXMLCfg.GetValue(Path+'Recent/UseUnitDlg/AllUnits',False);
     FUseUnitDlgOptions.AddToImplementation:=FXMLCfg.GetValue(Path+'Recent/UseUnitDlg/AddToImplementation',False);
 
-    // Add example projects to an empty project list if examples have write access
-    if (FRecentProjectFiles.count=0) and (not FAlreadyPopulatedRecentFiles) then begin
-      AddRecentProjectInitial('examples/jpeg/',          'jpegexample.lpi');
-      AddRecentProjectInitial('examples/sprites/',       'spriteexample.lpi');
-      AddRecentProjectInitial('examples/openglcontrol/', 'openglcontrol_demo.lpi');
-      AddRecentProjectInitial('examples/imagelist/',     'project1.lpi');
-      AddRecentProjectInitial('examples/',               'hello.lpi');
-      FAlreadyPopulatedRecentFiles := True;
-    end;
-
     // external tools
     if Assigned(fExternalUserTools) then
       fExternalUserTools.Load(FConfigStore,Path+'ExternalTools/');
diff --git a/ide/sourcefilemanager.pas b/ide/sourcefilemanager.pas
index 8788b3bc8d..29a15434c4 100644
--- a/ide/sourcefilemanager.pas
+++ b/ide/sourcefilemanager.pas
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ unit SourceFileManager;
 interface
 
 uses
-  Classes, SysUtils, typinfo, math, fpjson, Laz_AVL_Tree,
+  Classes, SysUtils, TypInfo, Math, fpjson, Laz_AVL_Tree,
   // LCL
   Controls, Forms, Dialogs, LCLIntf, LCLType, LclStrConsts,
   LResources, LCLMemManager,
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ uses
   IdeIntfStrConsts, ObjectInspector, SrcEditorIntf, EditorSyntaxHighlighterDef,
   UnitResources, ComponentReg, InputHistory,
   // IdeConfig
-  EnvironmentOpts, SearchPathProcs, TransferMacros,
+  EnvironmentOpts, SearchPathProcs, TransferMacros, RecentListProcs,
   // IDE
   IDEProcs, DialogProcs, IDEProtocol, LazarusIDEStrConsts, NewDialog,
   NewProjectDlg, MainBase, MainBar, MainIntf, Project, ProjectDefs,
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ function FindSourceFileImpl(const AFilename, BaseDirectory: string;
 function FindUnitsOfOwnerImpl(TheOwner: TObject; Flags: TFindUnitsOfOwnerFlags): TStrings;
 // project
 function AddActiveUnitToProject: TModalResult;
+procedure AddDefaultRecentProjects;
 function AddUnitToProject(const AEditor: TSourceEditorInterface): TModalResult;
 function RemoveFromProjectDialog: TModalResult;
 function InitNewProject(ProjectDesc: TProjectDescriptor): TModalResult;
@@ -1773,6 +1774,35 @@ begin
   Result := AddUnitToProject(nil);
 end;
 
+procedure AddRecentProject(aProjPath, aProjFile: string);
+// Add a project to the list of recent projects if the project has write access.
+// The check can be removed when the IDE allows compiling read-only projects.
+var
+  WholeFilePath: String;
+begin
+  aProjPath := SwitchPathDelims(aProjPath, True);
+  WholeFilePath := ExtractFilePath(Application.ExeName) + aProjPath + aProjFile;
+  if FileIsWritable(aProjPath) and FileIsWritable(WholeFilePath) then
+    with EnvironmentOptions do
+      AddToRecentList(WholeFilePath, RecentProjectFiles, MaxRecentProjectFiles, rltFile);
+end;
+
+procedure AddDefaultRecentProjects;
+begin
+  // Add some example projects to an empty project list.
+  with EnvironmentOptions do
+    if (RecentProjectFiles.Count=0) and not AlreadyPopulatedRecentFiles then
+    begin
+      DebugLn('AddDefaultRecentProjects: Adding default projects');
+      AddRecentProject('examples/jpeg/',          'jpegexample.lpi');
+      AddRecentProject('examples/sprites/',       'spriteexample.lpi');
+      AddRecentProject('examples/openglcontrol/', 'openglcontrol_demo.lpi');
+      AddRecentProject('examples/imagelist/',     'project1.lpi');
+      AddRecentProject('examples/',               'hello.lpi');
+      AlreadyPopulatedRecentFiles := True;
+    end;
+end;
+
 function AddUnitToProject(const AEditor: TSourceEditorInterface): TModalResult;
 var
   ActiveSourceEditor: TSourceEditor;