diff --git a/C/absmi.c b/C/absmi.c
index c63851073..e6acff277 100755
--- a/C/absmi.c
+++ b/C/absmi.c
@@ -13818,7 +13818,7 @@ Yap_absmi(int inp)
 	      ENDP(pt1);
 	      ENDD(d1);
 	    } else if (mod != CurrentModule) {
-		goto execute2_metacall;
+	      goto execute2_metacall;
 	    }
 	  }
 	  if (PRED_GOAL_EXPANSION_ALL) {
diff --git a/C/c_interface.c b/C/c_interface.c
index c0a0c4fce..4ff55d9d6 100755
--- a/C/c_interface.c
+++ b/C/c_interface.c
@@ -2647,6 +2647,9 @@ YAP_Init(YAP_init_args *yap_init)
     else
       Yap_AttsSize = 2048*sizeof(CELL);
     if (restore_result == DO_ONLY_CODE) {
+      /* first, initialise the saved state */
+      Term t_goal = MkAtomTerm(AtomStartupSavedState);
+      YAP_RunGoalOnce(t_goal);
       return YAP_BOOT_FROM_SAVED_CODE;
     } else {
       return YAP_BOOT_FROM_SAVED_STACKS;
diff --git a/C/init.c b/C/init.c
index e4726f528..dda09cc91 100755
--- a/C/init.c
+++ b/C/init.c
@@ -484,6 +484,24 @@ InitDebug(void)
   Yap_PutValue(At, MkIntTerm(15));
 }
 
+static UInt 
+update_flags_from_prolog(UInt flags, PredEntry *pe)
+{
+  if (pe->PredFlags & MetaPredFlag)
+    flags |= MetaPredFlag;
+  if (pe->PredFlags & SourcePredFlag)
+    flags |= SourcePredFlag;
+  if (pe->PredFlags & SequentialPredFlag)
+    flags |= SequentialPredFlag;
+  if (pe->PredFlags & MyddasPredFlag)
+    flags |= MyddasPredFlag;
+  if (pe->PredFlags & UDIPredFlag)
+    flags |= UDIPredFlag;
+  if (pe->PredFlags & ModuleTransparentPredFlag)
+    flags |= ModuleTransparentPredFlag;
+  return flags;
+}
+
 void 
 Yap_InitCPred(char *Name, unsigned long int Arity, CPredicate code, UInt flags)
 {
@@ -521,8 +539,9 @@ Yap_InitCPred(char *Name, unsigned long int Arity, CPredicate code, UInt flags)
   } 
   if (pe->PredFlags & CPredFlag) {
     /* already exists */
+    flags = update_flags_from_prolog(flags, pe);
     cl = ClauseCodeToStaticClause(pe->CodeOfPred);
-    if ((flags | StandardPredFlag | CPredFlag) != pe->PredFlags) {
+    if ((flags | StandardPredFlag | CPredFlag ) != pe->PredFlags) {
       Yap_ClauseSpace -= cl->ClSize;
       Yap_FreeCodeSpace((ADDR)cl);
       cl = NULL;
@@ -618,6 +637,7 @@ Yap_InitCmpPred(char *Name, unsigned long int Arity, CmpPredicate cmp_code, UInt
     }
   } 
   if (pe->PredFlags & CPredFlag) {
+    flags = update_flags_from_prolog(flags, pe);
     p_code = pe->CodeOfPred;
     /* already exists */
   } else {
@@ -691,7 +711,12 @@ Yap_InitAsmPred(char *Name,  unsigned long int Arity, int code, CPredicate def,
       return;
     }
   } 
-  pe->PredFlags = flags | AsmPredFlag | StandardPredFlag | (code);
+  flags |= AsmPredFlag | StandardPredFlag | (code);
+  if (pe->PredFlags & AsmPredFlag) {
+    flags = update_flags_from_prolog(flags, pe);
+    /* already exists */
+  }
+  pe->PredFlags = flags;
   pe->cs.f_code =  def;
   pe->ModuleOfPred = CurrentModule;
   if (def != NULL) {
@@ -859,6 +884,7 @@ Yap_InitCPredBack(char *Name, unsigned long int Arity,
   } 
   if (pe->cs.p_code.FirstClause != NIL)
     {
+      flags = update_flags_from_prolog(flags, pe);      
 #ifdef CUT_C
       CleanBack(pe, Start, Cont, Cut);
 #else
diff --git a/H/iatoms.h b/H/iatoms.h
index 620af5390..7d0ac0618 100644
--- a/H/iatoms.h
+++ b/H/iatoms.h
@@ -266,6 +266,7 @@
   AtomSpy = Yap_FullLookupAtom("$spy");
   AtomStack = Yap_LookupAtom("stack");
   AtomStackFree = Yap_LookupAtom("stackfree");
+  AtomStartupSavedState = Yap_FullLookupAtom("$startup_saved_state");
   AtomStaticClause = Yap_FullLookupAtom("$static_clause");
   AtomStaticProcedure = Yap_LookupAtom("static_procedure");
   AtomStream = Yap_FullLookupAtom("$stream");
diff --git a/H/ratoms.h b/H/ratoms.h
index dc609e0a9..7b0136fa0 100644
--- a/H/ratoms.h
+++ b/H/ratoms.h
@@ -266,6 +266,7 @@
   AtomSpy = AtomAdjust(AtomSpy);
   AtomStack = AtomAdjust(AtomStack);
   AtomStackFree = AtomAdjust(AtomStackFree);
+  AtomStartupSavedState = AtomAdjust(AtomStartupSavedState);
   AtomStaticClause = AtomAdjust(AtomStaticClause);
   AtomStaticProcedure = AtomAdjust(AtomStaticProcedure);
   AtomStream = AtomAdjust(AtomStream);
diff --git a/H/tatoms.h b/H/tatoms.h
index 0ac10a304..bcfe9eb76 100644
--- a/H/tatoms.h
+++ b/H/tatoms.h
@@ -530,6 +530,8 @@
 #define AtomStack Yap_heap_regs->AtomStack_
   Atom AtomStackFree_;
 #define AtomStackFree Yap_heap_regs->AtomStackFree_
+  Atom AtomStartupSavedState_;
+#define AtomStartupSavedState Yap_heap_regs->AtomStartupSavedState_
   Atom AtomStaticClause_;
 #define AtomStaticClause Yap_heap_regs->AtomStaticClause_
   Atom AtomStaticProcedure_;
diff --git a/misc/ATOMS b/misc/ATOMS
index 0a6a26df0..27bd9d6c0 100644
--- a/misc/ATOMS
+++ b/misc/ATOMS
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ A	SourceSink		N	"source_sink"
 A	Spy			F	"$spy"
 A	Stack			N	"stack"
 A	StackFree		N	"stackfree"
+A	StartupSavedState	F	"$startup_saved_state"
 A	StaticClause		F	"$static_clause"
 A	StaticProcedure		N	"static_procedure"
 A	Stream			F	"$stream"
diff --git a/pl/boot.yap b/pl/boot.yap
index 6381c2168..3b240c7cf 100755
--- a/pl/boot.yap
+++ b/pl/boot.yap
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ true :- true.
 	  )
 	),
 	'$db_clean_queues'(0),
+% this must be executed from C-code.
+%	'$startup_saved_state',
 	'$startup_reconsult',
 	'$startup_goals',
 	'$set_input'(user_input),'$set_output'(user),
@@ -196,24 +198,38 @@ true :- true.
 	'$sync_mmapped_arrays',
 	set_value('$live','$false').
 
-'$startup_goals' :-
+%
+% first, recover what we need from the saved state...
+%
+'$startup_saved_state' :-
 	get_value('$extend_file_search_path',P), P \= [],
 	set_value('$extend_file_search_path',[]),
 	'$extend_file_search_path'(P),
 	fail.
 % use if we come from a save_program and we have SWI's shlib
-'$startup_goals' :-
+'$startup_saved_state' :-
 	recorded('$reload_foreign_libraries',G,R),
 	erase(R),
 	shlib:reload_foreign_libraries,
 	fail.
 % use if we come from a save_program and we have a goal to execute
-'$startup_goals' :-
+'$startup_saved_state' :-
 	recorded('$restore_goal',G,R),
 	erase(R),
 	prompt(_,'   | '),
 	'$system_catch'('$do_yes_no'((G->true),user),user,Error,user:'$Error'(Error)),
 	fail.
+'$startup_saved_state'.
+
+% then recover program.
+'$startup_reconsult' :-
+	get_value('$consult_on_boot',X), X \= [], !,
+	set_value('$consult_on_boot',[]),
+	'$do_startup_reconsult'(X).
+'$startup_reconsult'.
+
+
+% then we can execute the programs.
 '$startup_goals' :-
 	recorded('$startup_goal',G,_),
 	'$current_module'(Module),
@@ -252,12 +268,6 @@ true :- true.
 	fail.
 '$startup_goals'.
 
-'$startup_reconsult' :-
-	get_value('$consult_on_boot',X), X \= [], !,
-	set_value('$consult_on_boot',[]),
-	'$do_startup_reconsult'(X).
-'$startup_reconsult'.
-
  %
  % MYDDAS: Import all the tables from one database
  %