diff --git a/achievement.cpp b/achievement.cpp
index 3963daaf..98a71f31 100644
--- a/achievement.cpp
+++ b/achievement.cpp
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ EX void achievement_log(const char* s, char flags) {
 #if CAP_SAVE
   remove_emergency_save();
 
-  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile, "at");
+  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile.c_str(), "at");
   if(!f) return;
   
   int t = (int) (time(NULL) - timerstart);
diff --git a/commandline.cpp b/commandline.cpp
index bb6c8c76..5fd4bb15 100644
--- a/commandline.cpp
+++ b/commandline.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ EX string rsrcdir = "";
 #endif
 
 #if CAP_COMMANDLINE
-EX const char *scorefile = "hyperrogue.log";
+EX string scorefile = "hyperrogue.log";
 
 EX namespace arg {
 EX eLand readland(const string& ss) {
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ EX void initializeCLI() {
   if(getenv("HOME")) {
     sbuf = getenv("HOME"); sbuf += "/."; sbuf += scorefile;
     cbuf = getenv("HOME"); cbuf += "/."; cbuf += conffile;
-    scorefile = sbuf.c_str();
+    scorefile = sbuf;
     conffile = cbuf.c_str();
     }
   #endif
@@ -168,7 +168,8 @@ int arg::readCommon() {
 
 // first phase options
 
-  if(argis("-s")) { PHASE(1); shift(); scorefile = argcs(); }
+  if(argis("-s")) { PHASE(2); shift(); scorefile = args(); savefile_selection = false; }
+  else if(argis("-no-s")) { PHASE(2); scorefile = ""; savefile_selection = false; }
   else if(argis("-rsrc")) { PHASE(1); shift(); rsrcdir = args(); }
   else if(argis("-nogui")) { PHASE(1); noGUI = true; }
 #ifndef EMSCRIPTEN
diff --git a/config.cpp b/config.cpp
index 59eab198..b6822d6c 100644
--- a/config.cpp
+++ b/config.cpp
@@ -1811,6 +1811,8 @@ EX void configureOther() {
   dialog::addSelItem(XLAT("whatever"), fts(whatever[0]), 'j');
   dialog::add_action([] { edit_whatever('f', 0); });
 #endif
+
+  add_edit(savefile_selection);
   
   dialog::addBreak(50);
   dialog::addBack();
@@ -2498,6 +2500,17 @@ EX int config3 = addHook(hooks_configfile, 100, [] {
       });
   param_b(debug_tiles, "debug_tiles");
   addsaver(vid.gp_autoscale_heights, "3D Goldberg autoscaling", true);  
+  addsaver(scorefile, "savefile");
+  param_b(savefile_selection, "savefile_selection")
+  -> editable("select the score/save file on startup", 's')
+  -> set_reaction([] {
+    if(savefile_selection)
+      addMessage(XLAT("Save the config and restart to select another score/save file."));
+    else if(scorefile == "")
+      addMessage(XLAT("Save the config to always play without recording your progress."));
+    else
+      addMessage(XLAT("Save the config to always use %1.", scorefile));
+    });
   });
 
 EX void switchcolor(unsigned int& c, unsigned int* cs) {
diff --git a/debug.cpp b/debug.cpp
index a5f66f39..1a925ab6 100644
--- a/debug.cpp
+++ b/debug.cpp
@@ -611,8 +611,8 @@ int read_cheat_args() {
   else if(argis("-g")) {
     /* debugging mode */
     if(curphase == 1) {
-      /* use a separate score file */
-      scorefile = "xx";
+      /* use no score file */
+      scorefile = "";
       /* set seed for reproducible results */
       if(!fixseed) {
         fixseed = true; autocheat = true;
diff --git a/fake-mobile.cpp b/fake-mobile.cpp
index b30451a2..88b6de02 100644
--- a/fake-mobile.cpp
+++ b/fake-mobile.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include <string>
 
 namespace hr {
-  const char *scorefile = "fakemobile_score.txt";  
+  string scorefile = "fakemobile_score.txt";  
   }
 
 #include <SDL/SDL.h>
diff --git a/hyper-main.cpp b/hyper-main.cpp
index f399a9f7..4d0e4441 100644
--- a/hyper-main.cpp
+++ b/hyper-main.cpp
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ EX int hyper_main(int argc, char **argv) {
     pushScreen(showStartMenu);
     }
 #endif
+  progress_warning();
   mainloop();
   finishAll();  
   return 0;
diff --git a/menus.cpp b/menus.cpp
index 57e53970..9a1961fb 100644
--- a/menus.cpp
+++ b/menus.cpp
@@ -948,6 +948,7 @@ EX void showStartMenu() {
       resetModes(uni);
       clearMessages();
       welcomeMessage();
+      progress_warning();
       stampbase = ticks;
       if(uni == 's') 
         multi::configure();
@@ -1003,6 +1004,7 @@ EX void showStartMenu() {
       stampbase = ticks;
       clearMessages();
       welcomeMessage();
+      progress_warning();
       }
     else if(sym == SDLK_F5) { 
       #if CAP_STARTANIM
diff --git a/scores.cpp b/scores.cpp
index 7defd216..ff0a679e 100644
--- a/scores.cpp
+++ b/scores.cpp
@@ -287,10 +287,11 @@ void show() {
   }
 
 void load() {
+  if(scorefile == "") return;
   scores.clear();
-  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile, "rt");
+  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile.c_str(), "rt");
   if(!f) {
-    printf("Could not open the score file '%s'!\n", scorefile);
+    printf("Could not open the score file '%s'!\n", scorefile.c_str());
     addMessage(s0 + "Could not open the score file: " + scorefile);
     return;
     }
diff --git a/system.cpp b/system.cpp
index c979001d..c6186315 100644
--- a/system.cpp
+++ b/system.cpp
@@ -1001,9 +1001,10 @@ EX }
 long long saveposition = -1;
 
 EX void remove_emergency_save() {
+  if(scorefile == "") return;
 #if !ISWINDOWS
   if(saveposition >= 0) { 
-    if(truncate(scorefile, saveposition)) {}
+    if(truncate(scorefile.c_str(), saveposition)) {}
     saveposition = -1;
     }
 #endif
@@ -1015,6 +1016,7 @@ EX void saveStats(bool emergency IS(false)) {
   DEBBI(DF_INIT, ("saveStats [", scorefile, "]"));
 
   if(autocheat) return;
+  if(scorefile == "") return;
   #if CAP_TOUR
   if(tour::on) return;
   #endif
@@ -1031,7 +1033,7 @@ EX void saveStats(bool emergency IS(false)) {
 
   xcode = modecode();
   
-  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile, "at");
+  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile.c_str(), "at");
   
   if(!f) {
     // printf("Could not open the score file '%s'!\n", scorefile);
@@ -1156,12 +1158,13 @@ bool tamper = false;
 // load the save
 EX void loadsave() {
   if(autocheat) return;
+  if(scorefile == "") return;
 #if CAP_TOUR
   if(tour::on) return;
 #endif
   DEBBI(DF_INIT, ("loadSave"));
 
-  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile, "rt");
+  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile.c_str(), "rt");
   havesave = f;
   if(!f) return;
   bool ok = false;
@@ -1659,6 +1662,33 @@ EX eLand firstland0;
 
 EX purehookset hooks_initialize;
 
+EX bool savefile_selection = false;
+
+EX void select_savefile() {
+  if(!savefile_selection) return;
+  start_game();
+  bool canceled = true;
+  if(scorefile == "") scorefile = "hyperrogue.log";
+  pushScreen([] { quitmainloop = true; });
+  dialog::openFileDialog(scorefile, XLAT("choose your score/save file"), ".log", [&] {
+    println(hlog, "hook called");
+    canceled = false;
+    quitmainloop = true;
+    return true;
+    });
+  clearMessages();
+  mainloop();
+  quitmainloop = false;
+  stop_game();
+  popScreenAll();
+  if(canceled) scorefile = "";
+  }
+
+EX void progress_warning() {
+  if(scorefile == "" && savefile_selection)
+    addMessage(XLAT("Your progress will not be saved."));
+  }
+
 EX void initAll() {
   callhooks(hooks_initialize);
   init_floorcolors();
@@ -1676,7 +1706,9 @@ EX void initAll() {
   
   // initlanguage();
   initialize_all();
+  
 #if CAP_SAVE
+  select_savefile();
   loadsave();
   if(IRREGULAR) irr::auto_creator();
 #endif
diff --git a/yendor.cpp b/yendor.cpp
index 51dedfda..a02690d4 100644
--- a/yendor.cpp
+++ b/yendor.cpp
@@ -999,8 +999,11 @@ EX modecode_t modecode(int mode) {
   code_for[ss.s] = next;
   
   if(mode == 2) return next;
+
+  if(scorefile == "") return next;
   
-  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile, "at");
+  FILE *f = fopen(scorefile.c_str(), "at");
+  if(!f) return next;
   string s = as_hexstring(ss.s);
   fprintf(f, "MODE %d %s\n", next, s.c_str());
   fclose(f);