diff --git a/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinput.cpp b/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinput.cpp
index ca5837e798..916fd17888 100644
--- a/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinput.cpp
+++ b/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinput.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ using Avogadro::QtGui::FileFormatDialog;
 namespace Avogadro::QtPlugins {
 
 LineFormatInput::LineFormatInput(QObject* parent_)
-  : Avogadro::QtGui::ExtensionPlugin(parent_),
-    m_molecule(nullptr), m_reader(nullptr)
+  : Avogadro::QtGui::ExtensionPlugin(parent_), m_molecule(nullptr),
+    m_reader(nullptr)
 {
   auto* action = new QAction(tr("SMILES…"), this);
   action->setProperty("menu priority", 800);
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ void LineFormatInput::showDialog()
   dlg.exec();
 
   // check if the reply is empty
-  if (dlg.descriptor().isEmpty())
+  if (dlg.result() != LineFormatInputDialog::Accepted ||
+      dlg.descriptor().isEmpty())
     return; // nothing to do
 
   // Resolve any format conflicts:
@@ -137,4 +138,4 @@ void LineFormatInput::showDialog()
   m_reader = nullptr;
 }
 
-} // namespace Avogadro
+} // namespace Avogadro::QtPlugins
diff --git a/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinputdialog.cpp b/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinputdialog.cpp
index d05c6ff6f0..e4b0ad3a88 100644
--- a/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinputdialog.cpp
+++ b/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinputdialog.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ LineFormatInputDialog::LineFormatInputDialog(QWidget* aParent)
   : QDialog(aParent), m_ui(new Ui::LineFormatInputDialog)
 {
   m_ui->setupUi(this);
+
+  QSettings settings;
+  // set the last used descriptor
+  QString lastDescriptor =
+    settings.value("lineformatinput/lastDescriptor").toString();
+  setDescriptor(lastDescriptor);
 }
 
 LineFormatInputDialog::~LineFormatInputDialog()
@@ -45,6 +51,11 @@ void LineFormatInputDialog::setCurrentFormat(const QString& format)
     m_ui->formats->setCurrentIndex(index);
 }
 
+void LineFormatInputDialog::setDescriptor(const QString& descriptor)
+{
+  m_ui->descriptor->setText(descriptor);
+}
+
 QString LineFormatInputDialog::descriptor() const
 {
   return m_ui->descriptor->text();
@@ -54,7 +65,8 @@ void LineFormatInputDialog::accept()
 {
   QSettings settings;
   settings.setValue("lineformatinput/lastUsed", format());
+  settings.setValue("lineformatinput/lastDescriptor", descriptor());
   QDialog::accept();
 }
 
-} // namespace Avogadro
+} // namespace Avogadro::QtPlugins
diff --git a/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinputdialog.h b/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinputdialog.h
index a072d2c907..6363fc3c91 100644
--- a/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinputdialog.h
+++ b/avogadro/qtplugins/lineformatinput/lineformatinputdialog.h
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ class LineFormatInputDialog : public QDialog
 
   void setCurrentFormat(const QString& format);
 
+  void setDescriptor(const QString& descriptor);
+
   QString descriptor() const;
 
 protected slots: