diff --git a/pd/src/pd.tk b/pd/src/pd.tk
index f097887aacf93843f66c3bfc5ded418c04ec9dac..5ac66af7b2bf3478fd2f9c29d2bf517f88712f8e 100644
--- a/pd/src/pd.tk
+++ b/pd/src/pd.tk
@@ -1591,11 +1591,12 @@ match_linux_wm [list .mbar.file add  separator]
 
 # update recent files
 match_linux_wm [list .mbar.file add separator]
+.mbar.file add command -label "No Recent Files" -state disabled
 #if {[llength $::recentfiles_list] > 0} {
 #    ::pd_menus::update_recentfiles_menu .mbar.file false
 #}
 
-match_linux_wm [list .mbar.file add  separator]
+match_linux_wm [list .mbar.file add separator]
 .mbar.file add command -label Close -accelerator [accel_munge "Ctrl+w"] \
 	-state disabled
 
@@ -2841,6 +2842,7 @@ proc pdtk_canvas_new {name width height geometry editable} {
 	}
     # update recent files
     match_linux_wm [list $name.m.file add separator]
+    $name.m.file add command -label "No Recent Files" -state disabled
     #match_linux_wm [list $name.m.file add separator]
     #if {[llength $::recentfiles_list] > 0} {
     #    ::pd_menus::update_recentfiles_menu $name.m.file false
diff --git a/pd/src/pd_menus_SHORT.tcl b/pd/src/pd_menus_SHORT.tcl
index 1f00434e948b2ae0dd88f5e2c1146ac22bd17a79..929e985c016163e4b4e3bb10ed5bf12dac4d9f42 100644
--- a/pd/src/pd_menus_SHORT.tcl
+++ b/pd/src/pd_menus_SHORT.tcl
@@ -81,10 +81,13 @@ proc ::pd_menus::update_recentfiles_on_menu {mymenu {write}} {
         $mymenu insert [expr $top_separator+1] command \
             -label [file tail $filename] -command "open_file {$filename}"
     }
-    set filename [lindex $::recentfiles_list 0]
-    $mymenu insert [expr $top_separator+1] command \
-        -label [file tail $filename] -command "open_file {$filename}"
-
+    if { [llength $::recentfiles_list] > 0 } {
+        set filename [lindex $::recentfiles_list 0]
+        $mymenu insert [expr $top_separator+1] command \
+            -label [file tail $filename] -command "open_file {$filename}"
+    } else {
+        $mymenu insert [expr $top_separator+1] command -label "No Recent Files" -state disabled
+    }
     # write to config file
     if {$write == true} { ::pd_guiprefs::write_recentfiles }
 }
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