diff --git a/src/app-file/gnc-file.c b/src/app-file/gnc-file.c
index ea7c952791..f2356c2db1 100644
--- a/src/app-file/gnc-file.c
+++ b/src/app-file/gnc-file.c
@@ -237,6 +237,14 @@ gnc_add_history (GNCBook *book)
   g_free (url);
 }
 
+static void
+gnc_book_opened (void)
+{
+  gh_call2 (gh_eval_str("gnc:hook-run-danglers"),
+            gh_eval_str("gnc:*book-opened-hook*"),
+            gh_str02scm(gnc_book_get_url(current_book))); 
+}
+
 void
 gnc_file_new (void)
 {
@@ -255,7 +263,7 @@ gnc_file_new (void)
 
   gh_call2(gh_eval_str("gnc:hook-run-danglers"),
            gh_eval_str("gnc:*book-closed-hook*"),
-           gh_str02scm(gnc_book_get_url(book)));           
+           gh_str02scm(gnc_book_get_url(book)));
   
   gnc_book_destroy (book);
   current_book = NULL;
@@ -265,18 +273,10 @@ gnc_file_new (void)
   /* start a new book */
   gnc_get_current_book_internal ();
 
-  if(gnc_lookup_boolean_option("General",
-                               "No account list setup on new file",
-                               TRUE))
-  {
-    gh_call2(gh_eval_str("gnc:hook-run-danglers"),
-             gh_eval_str("gnc:*book-opened-hook*"),
-             gh_str02scm(gnc_book_get_url(current_book))); 
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    gnc_ui_hierarchy_druid ();
-  }
+  gh_call1(gh_eval_str("gnc:hook-run-danglers"),
+           gh_eval_str("gnc:*new-book-hook*"));
+
+  gnc_book_opened ();
 
   gnc_engine_resume_events ();
   gnc_gui_refresh_all ();
@@ -451,9 +451,7 @@ gnc_post_file_open (const char * filename)
     gnc_engine_resume_events ();
     gnc_gui_refresh_all ();
 
-    gh_call2(gh_eval_str("gnc:hook-run-danglers"),
-             gh_eval_str("gnc:*book-opened-hook*"),
-             gh_str02scm(gnc_book_get_url(current_book))); 
+    gnc_book_opened ();
 
     return FALSE;
   }
@@ -462,9 +460,7 @@ gnc_post_file_open (const char * filename)
   /* close up the old file session (if any) */
   current_book = new_book;
 
-  gh_call2(gh_eval_str("gnc:hook-run-danglers"),
-           gh_eval_str("gnc:*book-opened-hook*"),
-           gh_str02scm(gnc_book_get_url(current_book))); 
+  gnc_book_opened ();
 
   /* --------------- END CORE SESSION CODE -------------- */
 
diff --git a/src/app-utils/app-utils.scm b/src/app-utils/app-utils.scm
index 08a4e90bdb..2b034d06b9 100644
--- a/src/app-utils/app-utils.scm
+++ b/src/app-utils/app-utils.scm
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@
 (export gnc:*ui-startup-hook*)
 (export gnc:*ui-shutdown-hook*)
 (export gnc:*book-opened-hook*)
+(export gnc:*new-book-hook*)
 (export gnc:*book-closed-hook*)
 
 ;; utilities
diff --git a/src/app-utils/hooks.scm b/src/app-utils/hooks.scm
index 7e9b820e86..c2b8d42a82 100644
--- a/src/app-utils/hooks.scm
+++ b/src/app-utils/hooks.scm
@@ -98,6 +98,11 @@
    'book-opened-hook
    "Run after book open.  Hook args: book URL."))
 
+(define gnc:*new-book-hook*
+  (gnc:hook-define 
+   'new-book-hook
+   "Run after a new (empty) book is opened, before the book-opened-hook. Hook args: ()"))
+
 (define gnc:*book-closed-hook*
   (gnc:hook-define 
    'book-closed-hook
diff --git a/src/gnc-ui.h b/src/gnc-ui.h
index 1a34183a5d..6a37f9b381 100644
--- a/src/gnc-ui.h
+++ b/src/gnc-ui.h
@@ -102,9 +102,6 @@ gboolean gnc_get_username_password (gncUIWidget parent,
                                     char **username,
                                     char **password);
 
-void gnc_ui_new_user_dialog (void);
-void gnc_ui_hierarchy_druid (void);
-
 /* Managing the GUI Windows *****************************************/
 
 void        gnc_ui_shutdown (void);
diff --git a/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.c b/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.c
index 0c11653313..093def16f4 100644
--- a/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.c
+++ b/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.c
@@ -124,6 +124,5 @@ gnc_ui_new_user_cancel_dialog (void)
 void
 gncp_new_user_finish (void)
 {
-  gh_eval_str("(gnc:show-main-window)");
   gh_eval_str("(gnc:hook-run-danglers gnc:*book-opened-hook* #f)");
 }
diff --git a/src/gnome/top-level.c b/src/gnome/top-level.c
index 3f6ba43f54..e63a7d99f7 100644
--- a/src/gnome/top-level.c
+++ b/src/gnome/top-level.c
@@ -605,19 +605,6 @@ gnc_ui_destroy (void)
 
 /* ============================================================== */
 
-int
-gnc_ui_show_main_window (void)
-{
-  /* Initialize gnome */
-  gnucash_ui_init();
-  
-  /* Get the main window on screen. */
-  while (gtk_events_pending())
-    gtk_main_iteration();
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
 static gboolean
 gnc_ui_check_events (gpointer not_used)
 {
diff --git a/src/gnome/top-level.h b/src/gnome/top-level.h
index 8c3946ad09..7d9a65440a 100644
--- a/src/gnome/top-level.h
+++ b/src/gnome/top-level.h
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ gboolean      gnucash_ui_open_file(const char * name);
 GNCMainInfo * gnc_ui_get_data(void);
 void          gnc_ui_shutdown(void);
 void          gnc_ui_destroy(void);
-int           gnc_ui_show_main_window(void);
 int           gnc_ui_start_event_loop(void);
 gboolean      gnc_reverse_balance_type(GNCAccountType type);
 gboolean      gnc_reverse_balance(Account *account);
diff --git a/src/scm/main-window.scm b/src/scm/main-window.scm
index c802f41468..91e0484c19 100644
--- a/src/scm/main-window.scm
+++ b/src/scm/main-window.scm
@@ -188,11 +188,3 @@ the account instead of opening a register.") #f))
                       gnc:main-window-book-open-handler)
 (gnc:hook-add-dangler gnc:*book-closed-hook* 
                       gnc:main-window-book-close-handler)
-
-(gnc:hook-add-dangler gnc:*book-opened-hook*
-                      (lambda (file)
-                        (if ((gnc:option-getter
-                              (gnc:lookup-global-option
-                               (N_ "Scheduled Transactions")
-                               (N_ "Run on GnuCash start" ))))
-                            (gnc:sx-since-last-run-wrapper file))) )
diff --git a/src/scm/main.scm b/src/scm/main.scm
index 9a855b7f44..f16d096173 100644
--- a/src/scm/main.scm
+++ b/src/scm/main.scm
@@ -168,6 +168,22 @@
   (gnc:depend "price-quotes.scm")
   (gnc:depend "tip-of-the-day.scm")
 
+  (gnc:hook-add-dangler gnc:*book-opened-hook*
+                        (lambda (file)
+                          (if ((gnc:option-getter
+                                (gnc:lookup-global-option
+                                 "Scheduled Transactions"
+                                 "Run on GnuCash start" )))
+                              (gnc:sx-since-last-run-wrapper file))))
+
+  (gnc:hook-add-dangler gnc:*new-book-hook*
+                        (lambda ()
+                          (let ((option (gnc:lookup-global-option
+                                         "General"
+                                         "No account list setup on new file")))
+                            (if (and option (not (gnc:option-value option)))
+                                (gnc:ui-hierarchy-druid)))))
+
   (if (not (gnc:handle-command-line-args))
       (gnc:shutdown 1))
 
@@ -259,7 +275,6 @@
   (if (null? gnc:*batch-mode-things-to-do*)
       ;; We're not in batch mode; we can go ahead and do the normal thing.
       (begin
-        ;; (gnc:load-account-file)
         (gnc:hook-add-dangler gnc:*ui-shutdown-hook* gnc:ui-finish)
         (gnc:ui-init)
         (if (and
@@ -267,13 +282,9 @@
              (not (string? (gnc:history-get-last)))
              (gnc:option-value
               (gnc:lookup-global-option "__new_user" "first_startup")))
-            (begin
-              (gnc:new-user-dialog)
-              (gnc:start-ui-event-loop))
-            (begin
-              (gnc:load-account-file)
-              (gnc:show-main-window)
-              (gnc:start-ui-event-loop)))
+            (gnc:new-user-dialog)
+            (gnc:load-account-file))
+        (gnc:start-ui-event-loop)
         (gnc:hook-remove-dangler gnc:*ui-shutdown-hook* gnc:ui-finish))
 
       ;; else: we're in batch mode.  Just do what the user said on the