diff --git a/hxournal.cabal b/hxournal.cabal
--- a/hxournal.cabal
+++ b/hxournal.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:		hxournal
-Version:	0.6.0.0
+Version:	0.6.0.1
 Synopsis:	A pen notetaking program written in haskell 
 Description: 	notetaking program written in haskell and gtk2hs
 Homepage:       http://ianwookim.org/hxournal
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@
   location: http://www.github.com/wavewave/hxournal
 
 
+Flag Poppler
+  Description: Enable poppler support 
+  Default:     True
+
+
 Executable hxournal
   Main-is: hxournal.hs
   hs-source-dirs: exe
@@ -34,8 +39,9 @@
   hs-source-dirs: lib
   ghc-options: 	-Wall -O2 -threaded -funbox-strict-fields -fno-warn-unused-do-bind
   ghc-prof-options: -caf-all -auto-all
-  Build-Depends:   
-                     base == 4.*, 
+  
+  if flag(poppler)
+    Build-Depends:   base == 4.*, 
                      mtl == 2.*,
                      directory == 1.*,
                      filepath == 1.*, 
@@ -46,7 +52,7 @@
                      transformers == 0.2.*,
                      xournal-types == 0.1.*,
                      xournal-parser == 0.3.*,
-                     xournal-render == 0.3.*,
+                     xournal-render == 0.3.0.*,
                      xournal-builder == 0.1.*,
                      containers == 0.4.*,
                      template-haskell == 2.*,
@@ -56,6 +62,27 @@
                      cmdargs >= 0.7 && <= 0.10,
                      configurator == 0.1.*, 
                      poppler == 0.12.*
+  else 
+    Build-Depends:   base == 4.*, 
+                     mtl == 2.*,
+                     directory == 1.*,
+                     filepath == 1.*, 
+                     strict == 0.3.*,
+                     gtk == 0.12.*, 
+                     cairo == 0.12.*,
+                     monad-coroutine == 0.7.*, 
+                     transformers == 0.2.*,
+                     xournal-types == 0.1.*,
+                     xournal-parser == 0.3.*,
+                     xournal-render == 0.3.0.*,
+                     xournal-builder == 0.1.*,
+                     containers == 0.4.*,
+                     template-haskell == 2.*,
+                     bytestring == 0.9.*, 
+                     double-conversion == 0.2.*,
+                     fclabels == 1.0.*,
+                     cmdargs >= 0.7 && <= 0.10,
+                     configurator == 0.1.*
 
   Exposed-Modules: 
                    Application.HXournal.ProgType
@@ -110,4 +137,6 @@
   install-includes: 
                    csrc/c_initdevice.h
                    csrc/template-hsc-gtk2hs.h
-		 
+  if flag(poppler) 
+    cpp-options: -DPOPPLER
+  
diff --git a/lib/Application/HXournal/Coroutine/File.hs b/lib/Application/HXournal/Coroutine/File.hs
--- a/lib/Application/HXournal/Coroutine/File.hs
+++ b/lib/Application/HXournal/Coroutine/File.hs
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 import Data.Xournal.Simple
 import Data.Xournal.Map
 
+import System.Directory
+
 askIfSave :: Iteratee MyEvent XournalStateIO ()
                     -> Iteratee MyEvent XournalStateIO ()
 askIfSave action = do 
@@ -66,10 +68,12 @@
 fileOpen :: Iteratee MyEvent XournalStateIO ()
 fileOpen = do 
     liftIO $ putStrLn "file open clicked"
+    cwd <- liftIO getCurrentDirectory
     dialog <- liftIO $ fileChooserDialogNew Nothing Nothing 
                                             FileChooserActionOpen 
                                             [ ("OK", ResponseOk) 
                                             , ("Cancel", ResponseCancel) ]
+    liftIO $ fileChooserSetCurrentFolder dialog cwd 
     res <- liftIO $ dialogRun dialog
     case res of 
       ResponseDeleteEvent -> liftIO $ widgetDestroy dialog
@@ -93,10 +97,12 @@
 fileSaveAs :: Iteratee MyEvent XournalStateIO ()
 fileSaveAs = do 
     liftIO $ putStrLn "file save as clicked"
+    cwd <- liftIO getCurrentDirectory
     dialog <- liftIO $ fileChooserDialogNew Nothing Nothing 
                                             FileChooserActionSave 
                                             [ ("OK", ResponseOk) 
                                             , ("Cancel", ResponseCancel) ]
+    liftIO $ fileChooserSetCurrentFolder dialog cwd 
     res <- liftIO $ dialogRun dialog
     case res of 
       ResponseDeleteEvent -> liftIO $ widgetDestroy dialog
@@ -131,10 +137,12 @@
 fileAnnotatePDF = do 
     xstate <- getSt
     liftIO $ putStrLn "file annotate PDf clicked"
+    cwd <- liftIO getCurrentDirectory
     dialog <- liftIO $ fileChooserDialogNew Nothing Nothing 
                                             FileChooserActionOpen 
                                             [ ("OK", ResponseOk) 
                                             , ("Cancel", ResponseCancel) ]
+    liftIO $ fileChooserSetCurrentFolder dialog cwd 
     res <- liftIO $ dialogRun dialog
     case res of 
       ResponseDeleteEvent -> liftIO $ widgetDestroy dialog
diff --git a/lib/Application/HXournal/ModelAction/File.hs b/lib/Application/HXournal/ModelAction/File.hs
--- a/lib/Application/HXournal/ModelAction/File.hs
+++ b/lib/Application/HXournal/ModelAction/File.hs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings, CPP #-}
 
 module Application.HXournal.ModelAction.File where
 
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@
 import qualified Data.ByteString as B
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Char8 as C
 
+#ifdef POPPLER
 import qualified Graphics.UI.Gtk.Poppler.Document as Poppler
 import qualified Graphics.UI.Gtk.Poppler.Page as PopplerPage
+#endif 
 
 -- | get file content from xournal file and update xournal state 
 
@@ -74,6 +76,7 @@
 makeNewXojWithPDF :: FilePath -> IO (Maybe Xournal)
 makeNewXojWithPDF fp = do 
   let fname = C.pack fp 
+#ifdef POPPLER
   mdoc <- popplerGetDocFromFile fname
   case mdoc of 
     Nothing -> do 
@@ -90,7 +93,9 @@
       putStrLn $ "total num of pages " ++ show n 
       putStrLn $ "size = " ++ show (w,h)
       return (Just xoj)
-      
+#else
+  error "makeNewXojWithPDF : this cannot be done without poppler lib." 
+#endif    
       
 createPage :: Dimension -> B.ByteString -> Int -> Page
 createPage dim fn n