diff --git a/config/autostart/0.cfg b/config/autostart/0.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a7abcca5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/autostart/0.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// This is an example file that will be automatically executed upon AC startup.
+// All .cfg files placed in this config/autostart/ directory will be automatically
+// executed when you start AC.
+
+// Files here are executed in alphabetical (or more precise, ASCII) order.
+// File names prefixed with "_veryfirst_" will be run before all other scripts.
+// Files with names prefixed with "_beforesaved_" or "_aftersaved_" will be
+// executed right before or after the file saved.cfg.
+// All remaining files will be run right before autoexec.cfg.
+
+
diff --git a/config/scripts.cfg b/config/scripts.cfg
index 9dee52c6..08e213e0 100644
--- a/config/scripts.cfg
+++ b/config/scripts.cfg
@@ -479,4 +479,3 @@ run dyngamma
 run autosave
 
 persistidents 1
-execdir scripts
diff --git a/scripts/0.cfg b/scripts/0.cfg
deleted file mode 100644
index 2f9057b0..00000000
--- a/scripts/0.cfg
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-// This is an example file that will be automatically executed upon AC startup.
-// All .cfg files placed in this /scripts/ directory, will be automatically
-// executed when you start AC.
-
-// Files here are executed in alphabetical order, the order of priority is:
-// 0-9, a-z, A-Z, and symbols. Therefore this file, (0.cfg) - will likely ALWAYS
-// be executed before any other .cfg files you put into this directory. Use it
-// for scripts that MUST be executed before others - for example.
-
-// NOTE: The /config/autoexec.cfg can still be used to override anything!
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/source/src/main.cpp b/source/src/main.cpp
index 1f5e3498..ac3cf10e 100644
--- a/source/src/main.cpp
+++ b/source/src/main.cpp
@@ -910,6 +910,30 @@ const char *rndmapname()
     else return "";
 }
 
+#define AUTOSTARTPATH "config" PATHDIVS "autostart" PATHDIVS
+
+void autostartscripts(const char *prefix)
+{
+    static vector<char *> *files = NULL;
+    if(!files)
+    {  // first run: fetch file names and sort them
+        files = new vector<char *>;
+        listfiles(AUTOSTARTPATH, "cfg", *files);
+        files->sort(stringsort);
+        for(int i = files->length() - 1; i > 0; i--)
+        {
+            if(!strcmp((*files)[i], (*files)[i - 1])) delstring(files->remove(i));   // delete doubles
+        }
+    }
+    loopv(*files)
+    {
+        if(*prefix && strncmp((*files)[i], prefix, strlen(prefix))) continue;
+        defformatstring(p)(AUTOSTARTPATH "%s.cfg", (*files)[i]);
+        execfile(p);
+        delstring(files->remove(i--));
+    }
+}
+
 void createconfigtemplates(const char *templatezip)  // create customisable config files in homedir - only if missing
 {
     if(addzip(templatezip))
@@ -941,6 +965,7 @@ void createconfigtemplates(const char *templatezip)  // create customisable conf
         }
         removezip(templatezip);
     }
+    findfile(AUTOSTARTPATH "dummy", "w"); // create empty autostart directory, if it doesn't exist yet
 }
 
 extern void connectserv(char *, int *, char *);
@@ -1205,6 +1230,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     initlog("console");
     per_idents = false;
+    autostartscripts("_veryfirst_");
     // Main font file, all other font files execute from here.
     if(!execfile("config/font.cfg")) fatal("cannot find default font definitions");
     // Check these 2 standard fonts have been executed.
@@ -1262,12 +1288,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         delete f;
     }
 
+    autostartscripts("_beforesaved_");
     initing = INIT_LOAD;
     if(!execfile("config/saved.cfg"))
     {
         exec("config/defaults.cfg");
         firstrun = true;
     }
+    autostartscripts("_aftersaved_");
     exechook(HOOK_SP_MP, "afterinit", "");
     if(compatibilitymode)
     {
@@ -1275,6 +1303,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         exec("config/compatibility.cfg"); // exec after saved.cfg to get "compatibilitymode", but before user scripts..
         per_idents = true;
     }
+    autostartscripts("");    // all remaining scripts
     execfile("config/autoexec.cfg");
     execfile("config/auth.cfg");
     execute("addallfavcatmenus");  // exec here, to add all categories (including those defined in autoexec.cfg)