diff --git a/PowerEditor/src/NppIO.cpp b/PowerEditor/src/NppIO.cpp
index af8361828..b46f3c99e 100644
--- a/PowerEditor/src/NppIO.cpp
+++ b/PowerEditor/src/NppIO.cpp
@@ -2145,7 +2145,7 @@ bool Notepad_plus::loadSession(Session & session, bool isSnapshotMode, bool shou
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			lastOpened = BUFFER_INVALID;
+			lastOpened = MainFileManager.newPlaceholderDocument(pFn, MAIN_VIEW);
 		}
 		if (isWow64Off)
 		{
@@ -2283,7 +2283,7 @@ bool Notepad_plus::loadSession(Session & session, bool isSnapshotMode, bool shou
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			lastOpened = BUFFER_INVALID;
+			lastOpened = MainFileManager.newPlaceholderDocument(pFn, SUB_VIEW);
 		}
 		if (isWow64Off)
 		{
diff --git a/PowerEditor/src/ScintillaComponent/Buffer.cpp b/PowerEditor/src/ScintillaComponent/Buffer.cpp
index 703c82067..4ca5ca0c3 100644
--- a/PowerEditor/src/ScintillaComponent/Buffer.cpp
+++ b/PowerEditor/src/ScintillaComponent/Buffer.cpp
@@ -1347,6 +1347,15 @@ BufferID FileManager::newEmptyDocument()
 	return id;
 }
 
+BufferID FileManager::newPlaceholderDocument(const TCHAR* missingFilename, int whichOne)
+{
+	BufferID buf = MainFileManager.newEmptyDocument();
+	_pNotepadPlus->loadBufferIntoView(buf, whichOne);
+	buf->setFileName(missingFilename);
+	buf->_currentStatus = DOC_REGULAR;
+	return buf;
+}
+
 BufferID FileManager::bufferFromDocument(Document doc, bool isMainEditZone)
 {
 	NppParameters& nppParamInst = NppParameters::getInstance();
diff --git a/PowerEditor/src/ScintillaComponent/Buffer.h b/PowerEditor/src/ScintillaComponent/Buffer.h
index 697094a1c..29ab6b384 100644
--- a/PowerEditor/src/ScintillaComponent/Buffer.h
+++ b/PowerEditor/src/ScintillaComponent/Buffer.h
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ public:
 
 	BufferID loadFile(const TCHAR * filename, Document doc = static_cast<Document>(NULL), int encoding = -1, const TCHAR *backupFileName = nullptr, FILETIME fileNameTimestamp = {});	//ID == BUFFER_INVALID on failure. If Doc == NULL, a new file is created, otherwise data is loaded in given document
 	BufferID newEmptyDocument();
+	// create an empty placeholder for a missing file when loading session
+	BufferID newPlaceholderDocument(const TCHAR * missingFilename, int whichOne);
 
 	//create Buffer from existing Scintilla, used from new Scintillas.
 	BufferID bufferFromDocument(Document doc, bool isMainEditZone);