diff --git a/joy/gui/main.py b/joy/gui/main.py
index 82d0c3f..5dc8ac4 100755
--- a/joy/gui/main.py
+++ b/joy/gui/main.py
@@ -113,12 +113,6 @@ def grand_reset(s, e, d):
   return stack, e, d
 
 
-def load_stack():
-  if os.path.exists(STACK_FN):
-    with open(STACK_FN) as f:
-      return pickle.load(f)
-
-
 D = initialize()
 for func in (
   reset_log,
@@ -129,12 +123,8 @@ for func in (
   ):
   D[func.__name__] = func
 
-stack = load_stack()
-if stack is None:
-  world = StackDisplayWorld(repo, STACK_FN, REL_STACK_FN, dictionary=D)
-else:
-  world = StackDisplayWorld(repo, STACK_FN, REL_STACK_FN, stack=stack, dictionary=D)
 
+world = StackDisplayWorld(repo, STACK_FN, REL_STACK_FN, dictionary=D)
 t = TextViewerWidget(world, **defaults)
 log_window = tk.Toplevel()
 log_window.protocol("WM_DELETE_WINDOW", log_window.withdraw)
diff --git a/joy/gui/world.py b/joy/gui/world.py
index 9c42246..1c87106 100644
--- a/joy/gui/world.py
+++ b/joy/gui/world.py
@@ -101,10 +101,11 @@ class World(object):
 class StackDisplayWorld(World):
 
   
-  def __init__(self, repo, filename, rel_filename, stack=(), dictionary=None, text_widget=None):
+  def __init__(self, repo, filename, rel_filename, dictionary=None, text_widget=None):
+    self.filename = filename
+    stack = self.load_stack() or ()
     World.__init__(self, stack, dictionary, text_widget)
     self.repo = repo
-    self.filename = filename
     self.relative_STACK_FN = rel_filename
 
   def interpret(self, command):
@@ -126,3 +127,8 @@ class StackDisplayWorld(World):
       committer='Simon Forman <forman.simon@gmail.com>',
       )
     print >> sys.stderr, commit_id
+
+  def load_stack(self):
+    if os.path.exists(self.filename):
+      with open(self.filename) as f:
+        return pickle.load(f)