diff --git a/gns3server/controller/__init__.py b/gns3server/controller/__init__.py
index bd10c27a..e449ed75 100644
--- a/gns3server/controller/__init__.py
+++ b/gns3server/controller/__init__.py
@@ -89,6 +89,23 @@ class Controller:
         for c in data["computes"]:
             yield from self.add_compute(**c)
 
+        # Preload the list of projects from disk
+        server_config = Config.instance().get_section_config("Server")
+        projects_path = os.path.expanduser(server_config.get("projects_path", "~/GNS3/projects"))
+        try:
+            for project_path in os.listdir(projects_path):
+                project_dir = os.path.join(projects_path, project_path)
+                if os.path.isdir(project_dir):
+                    for file in os.listdir(project_dir):
+                        if file.endswith(".gns3"):
+                            try:
+                                yield from self.load_project(os.path.join(project_dir, file), load=False)
+                            except aiohttp.web_exceptions.HTTPConflict:
+                                pass # Skip not compatible projects
+        except OSError as e:
+            log.error(str(e))
+
+
     def is_enabled(self):
         """
         :returns: whether the current instance is the controller
@@ -187,11 +204,12 @@ class Controller:
         del self._projects[project.id]
 
     @asyncio.coroutine
-    def load_project(self, path):
+    def load_project(self, path, load=True):
         """
         Load a project from a .gns3
 
         :param path: Path of the .gns3
+        :param load: Load the topology
         """
         topo_data = load_topology(path)
         topology = topo_data.pop("topology")
@@ -199,8 +217,9 @@ class Controller:
         topo_data.pop("revision")
         topo_data.pop("type")
 
-        project = yield from self.add_project(path=os.path.dirname(path), **topo_data)
-        yield from project.load()
+        project = yield from self.add_project(path=os.path.dirname(path), status="closed", **topo_data)
+        if load:
+            yield from project.load()
 
     @property
     def projects(self):
diff --git a/gns3server/controller/project.py b/gns3server/controller/project.py
index 696b8603..f524addf 100644
--- a/gns3server/controller/project.py
+++ b/gns3server/controller/project.py
@@ -40,12 +40,14 @@ class Project:
 
     :param project_id: force project identifier (None by default auto generate an UUID)
     :param path: path of the project. (None use the standard directory)
+    :param status: Status of the project (opened / closed)
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, name=None, project_id=None, path=None, controller=None):
+    def __init__(self, name=None, project_id=None, path=None, controller=None, status="opened"):
 
         self._controller = controller
         self._name = name
+        self._status = status
         if project_id is None:
             self._id = str(uuid4())
         else:
@@ -82,6 +84,10 @@ class Project:
     def path(self):
         return self._path
 
+    @property
+    def status(self):
+        return self._status
+
     @path.setter
     def path(self, path):
         check_path_allowed(path)
@@ -355,5 +361,6 @@ class Project:
         return {
             "name": self._name,
             "project_id": self._id,
-            "path": self._path
+            "path": self._path,
+            "status": "opened"
         }
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/project.py b/gns3server/schemas/project.py
index e6462182..9988d453 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/project.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/project.py
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ PROJECT_OBJECT_SCHEMA = {
             "description": "Project directory",
             "type": ["string", "null"],
             "minLength": 1
+        },
+        "status": {
+            "description": "Project status Read only",
+            "enum": ["opened", "closed"]
         }
     },
     "additionalProperties": False,
diff --git a/gns3server/templates/controller.html b/gns3server/templates/controller.html
index 632cdade..225eeda1 100644
--- a/gns3server/templates/controller.html
+++ b/gns3server/templates/controller.html
@@ -7,11 +7,12 @@
 The purpose of this page is to help for GNS3 debug. This can be dropped
 in futur GNS3 versions.
 
-<h2>Opened projects</h2>
+<h2>Projects</h2>
 <table border="1">
     <tr>
         <th>Name</th>
-        <th>ID</td>
+        <th>ID</th>
+        <th>Status</th>
         <th>Nodes</th>
         <th>Links</th>
     </tr>
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ in futur GNS3 versions.
 <tr>
     <td><a href="/projects/{{project.id}}">{{project.name}}</a></td>
     <td><a href="/projects/{{project.id}}">{{project.id}}</a></td>
+    <td>{{project.status}}</td>
     <td>{{project.nodes|length}}</td>
     <td>{{project.links|length}}</td>
 </tr>
diff --git a/tests/controller/test_project.py b/tests/controller/test_project.py
index 70fd0909..54420c1f 100644
--- a/tests/controller/test_project.py
+++ b/tests/controller/test_project.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def test_affect_uuid():
 
 def test_json(tmpdir):
     p = Project()
-    assert p.__json__() == {"name": p.name, "project_id": p.id, "path": p.path}
+    assert p.__json__() == {"name": p.name, "project_id": p.id, "path": p.path, "status": "opened"}
 
 
 def test_path(tmpdir):