diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6f431db9..07cf065e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ TODO
 .sbin
 .config
 .tmp
+.save
 World
 locale/
 *~
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 90e09727..7c4e3f49 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ tests-zsh: clean
 	./"game shell (1).sh" -Zdq -c 'gsh systemconfig; for _ in $$(seq 42); do gsh goal|cat; gsh test --abort; gsh auto --abort; done; gsh stat'
 
 clean:
-	rm -rf i18n/*~ locale gameshell.tgz gameshell.sh gameshell-save*.sh scripts/boxes-data.awk
-	rm -rf .bin .config .sbin .tmp World
+	rm -rf i18n/*~ locale gameshell gameshell.tar gameshell.tgz gameshell.sh gameshell-save*.sh scripts/boxes-data.awk
+	rm -rf .bin .config .sbin .tmp .save World
 	rm -rf "game shell"*
 
 .PHONY: clean new FORCE
diff --git a/lib/header.sh b/lib/header.sh
index db2613f8..18384155 100644
--- a/lib/header.sh
+++ b/lib/header.sh
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ NB_LINES=$(awk '/^##START_OF_GAMESHELL_ARCHIVE##/ {print NR + 1; exit 0; }' "$GS
 
 if [ "$GSH_EXTRACT" = "true" ]
 then
+  echo $NB_LINES
     tail -n+"$NB_LINES" "$GSH_EXEC_DIR/$GSH_EXEC_FILE" > "$GSH_EXEC_DIR/${GSH_EXEC_FILE%.*}.tgz"
     echo "Archive saved in $GSH_EXEC_DIR/${GSH_EXEC_FILE%.*}.tgz"
     exit 0
@@ -190,6 +191,10 @@ fi
 # and add a safeguard so we can check we are not removing another directory
 touch "$GSH_ROOT/.gsh_root-$$"
 
+# add a .save file so that we save the directory into a self extracting archive
+# when exiting
+touch "$GSH_ROOT/.save"
+
 tail -n+"$NB_LINES" "$GSH_EXEC_DIR/$GSH_EXEC_FILE" > "$GSH_ROOT/gameshell.tgz"
 tar -zx -C "$GSH_ROOT" -f "$GSH_ROOT/gameshell.tgz"
 rm "$GSH_ROOT/gameshell.tgz"
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index ba55ddbb..7623831c 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -506,9 +506,6 @@ cd "$GSH_HOME"
 export GSH_UID=$(cat "$GSH_CONFIG/uid")
 date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S" | sed 's/^/#>>> /' >> "$GSH_CONFIG/missions.log"
 
-# put a ".save" file to indicate the archive needs to be saved on exit
-touch "$GSH_ROOT/.save"
-
 # if the user uses a special TERMINFO entry, it might not be found because
 # GameShell redefines HOME
 if [ -z "$TERMINFO" ]