diff --git a/source/backend/CarlaEngine.hpp b/source/backend/CarlaEngine.hpp
index 7168326d3..7bc24c91c 100644
--- a/source/backend/CarlaEngine.hpp
+++ b/source/backend/CarlaEngine.hpp
@@ -1121,8 +1121,8 @@ protected:
      * Virtual functions for handling patchbay state.
      * Do not free returned data.
      */
-    virtual const char* const* getPatchbayConnections() const;
-    virtual void restorePatchbayConnection(const char* const sourcePort, const char* const targetPort);
+    virtual const char* const* getPatchbayConnections(const bool external) const;
+    virtual void restorePatchbayConnection(const bool external, const char* const sourcePort, const char* const targetPort);
 #endif
 
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngine.cpp b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngine.cpp
index 7c78d29d5..80de59ffd 100644
--- a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngine.cpp
+++ b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngine.cpp
@@ -1657,28 +1657,55 @@ void CarlaEngine::saveProjectInternal(juce::MemoryOutputStream& outStream) const
             plugin->setCustomData(CUSTOM_DATA_TYPE_STRING, "__CarlaPingOnOff__", "true", false);
     }
 
-    bool saveConnections = true;
+    bool saveExternalConnections = true;
 
+    // save internal connections
+    if (pData->options.processMode == ENGINE_PROCESS_MODE_PATCHBAY)
+    {
+        if (const char* const* const patchbayConns = getPatchbayConnections(false))
+        {
+            MemoryOutputStream outPatchbay(2048);
+
+            outPatchbay << "\n <Patchbay>\n";
+
+            for (int i=0; patchbayConns[i] != nullptr && patchbayConns[i+1] != nullptr; ++i, ++i )
+            {
+                const char* const connSource(patchbayConns[i]);
+                const char* const connTarget(patchbayConns[i+1]);
+
+                CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_CONTINUE(connSource != nullptr && connSource[0] != '\0');
+                CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_CONTINUE(connTarget != nullptr && connTarget[0] != '\0');
+
+                outPatchbay << "  <Connection>\n";
+                outPatchbay << "   <Source>" << connSource << "</Source>\n";
+                outPatchbay << "   <Target>" << connTarget << "</Target>\n";
+                outPatchbay << "  </Connection>\n";
+            }
+
+            outPatchbay << " </Patchbay>\n";
+            outStream << outPatchbay;
+        }
+    }
     // if we're running inside some session-manager, let them handle the connections
-    if (pData->options.processMode != ENGINE_PROCESS_MODE_PATCHBAY)
+    else
     {
         /**/ if (std::getenv("CARLA_DONT_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS") != nullptr)
-            saveConnections = false;
+            saveExternalConnections = false;
         else if (std::getenv("LADISH_APP_NAME") != nullptr)
-            saveConnections = false;
+            saveExternalConnections = false;
         else if (std::getenv("NSM_URL") != nullptr)
-            saveConnections = false;
+            saveExternalConnections = false;
         else if (std::strcmp(getCurrentDriverName(), "Plugin") == 0)
-            saveConnections = false;
+            saveExternalConnections = false;
     }
 
-    if (saveConnections)
+    if (saveExternalConnections)
     {
-        if (const char* const* const patchbayConns = getPatchbayConnections())
+        if (const char* const* const patchbayConns = getPatchbayConnections(true))
         {
             MemoryOutputStream outPatchbay(2048);
 
-            outPatchbay << "\n <Patchbay>\n";
+            outPatchbay << "\n <ExternalPatchbay>\n";
 
             for (int i=0; patchbayConns[i] != nullptr && patchbayConns[i+1] != nullptr; ++i, ++i )
             {
@@ -1694,7 +1721,7 @@ void CarlaEngine::saveProjectInternal(juce::MemoryOutputStream& outStream) const
                 outPatchbay << "  </Connection>\n";
             }
 
-            outPatchbay << " </Patchbay>\n";
+            outPatchbay << " </ExternalPatchbay>\n";
             outStream << outPatchbay;
         }
     }
@@ -1896,7 +1923,46 @@ bool CarlaEngine::loadProjectInternal(juce::XmlDocument& xmlDoc)
 
     callback(ENGINE_CALLBACK_IDLE, 0, 0, 0, 0.0f, nullptr);
 
-    // if we're running inside some session-manager, let them handle the connections
+    // handle connections (internal)
+    for (XmlElement* elem = xmlElement->getFirstChildElement(); elem != nullptr; elem = elem->getNextElement())
+    {
+        const String& tagName(elem->getTagName());
+
+        if (! tagName.equalsIgnoreCase("patchbay"))
+            continue;
+
+        CarlaString sourcePort, targetPort;
+
+        for (XmlElement* patchElem = elem->getFirstChildElement(); patchElem != nullptr; patchElem = patchElem->getNextElement())
+        {
+            const String& patchTag(patchElem->getTagName());
+
+            sourcePort.clear();
+            targetPort.clear();
+
+            if (! patchTag.equalsIgnoreCase("connection"))
+                continue;
+
+            for (XmlElement* connElem = patchElem->getFirstChildElement(); connElem != nullptr; connElem = connElem->getNextElement())
+            {
+                const String& tag(connElem->getTagName());
+                const String  text(connElem->getAllSubText().trim());
+
+                /**/ if (tag.equalsIgnoreCase("source"))
+                    sourcePort = text.toRawUTF8();
+                else if (tag.equalsIgnoreCase("target"))
+                    targetPort = text.toRawUTF8();
+            }
+
+            if (sourcePort.isNotEmpty() && targetPort.isNotEmpty())
+                restorePatchbayConnection(false, sourcePort, targetPort);
+        }
+        break;
+    }
+
+    callback(ENGINE_CALLBACK_IDLE, 0, 0, 0, 0.0f, nullptr);
+
+    // if we're running inside some session-manager, let them handle the external connections
     if (pData->options.processMode != ENGINE_PROCESS_MODE_PATCHBAY)
     {
         /**/ if (std::getenv("CARLA_DONT_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS") != nullptr)
@@ -1909,12 +1975,12 @@ bool CarlaEngine::loadProjectInternal(juce::XmlDocument& xmlDoc)
             return true;
     }
 
-    // now handle connections
+    // handle connections (external)
     for (XmlElement* elem = xmlElement->getFirstChildElement(); elem != nullptr; elem = elem->getNextElement())
     {
         const String& tagName(elem->getTagName());
 
-        if (! tagName.equalsIgnoreCase("patchbay"))
+        if (! tagName.equalsIgnoreCase("externalpatchbay"))
             continue;
 
         CarlaString sourcePort, targetPort;
@@ -1941,10 +2007,11 @@ bool CarlaEngine::loadProjectInternal(juce::XmlDocument& xmlDoc)
             }
 
             if (sourcePort.isNotEmpty() && targetPort.isNotEmpty())
-                restorePatchbayConnection(sourcePort, targetPort);
+                restorePatchbayConnection(true, sourcePort, targetPort);
         }
         break;
     }
+
 #endif
 
     return true;
diff --git a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineGraph.cpp b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineGraph.cpp
index dd2b70145..7d1c97f28 100644
--- a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineGraph.cpp
+++ b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineGraph.cpp
@@ -1729,9 +1729,9 @@ void PatchbayGraph::refresh(const char* const deviceName)
     }
 }
 
-const char* const* PatchbayGraph::getConnections() const
+const char* const* PatchbayGraph::getConnections(const bool external) const
 {
-    if (connections.list.count() == 0)
+    if (connections.list.count() == 0 || external)
         return nullptr;
 
     CarlaStringList connList;
@@ -2120,31 +2120,33 @@ bool CarlaEngine::patchbayRefresh(const bool external)
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-const char* const* CarlaEngine::getPatchbayConnections() const
+const char* const* CarlaEngine::getPatchbayConnections(const bool external) const
 {
     CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(pData->graph.isReady(), nullptr);
-    carla_debug("CarlaEngine::getPatchbayConnections()");
+    carla_debug("CarlaEngine::getPatchbayConnections(%s)", bool2str(external));
 
     if (pData->options.processMode == ENGINE_PROCESS_MODE_CONTINUOUS_RACK)
     {
+        if (external)
+            return nullptr;
         if (RackGraph* const graph = pData->graph.getRackGraph())
             return graph->getConnections();
     }
     else
     {
         if (PatchbayGraph* const graph = pData->graph.getPatchbayGraph())
-            return graph->getConnections();
+            return graph->getConnections(external);
     }
 
     return nullptr;
 }
 
-void CarlaEngine::restorePatchbayConnection(const char* const sourcePort, const char* const targetPort)
+void CarlaEngine::restorePatchbayConnection(const bool external, const char* const sourcePort, const char* const targetPort)
 {
     CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(pData->graph.isReady(),);
     CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(sourcePort != nullptr && sourcePort[0] != '\0',);
     CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(targetPort != nullptr && targetPort[0] != '\0',);
-    carla_debug("CarlaEngine::restorePatchbayConnection(\"%s\", \"%s\")", sourcePort, targetPort);
+    carla_debug("CarlaEngine::restorePatchbayConnection(%s, \"%s\", \"%s\")", bool2str(external), sourcePort, targetPort);
 
     uint groupA, portA;
     uint groupB, portB;
@@ -2154,6 +2156,8 @@ void CarlaEngine::restorePatchbayConnection(const char* const sourcePort, const
         RackGraph* const graph = pData->graph.getRackGraph();
         CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(graph != nullptr,);
 
+        if (external)
+            return;
         if (! graph->getGroupAndPortIdFromFullName(sourcePort, groupA, portA))
             return;
         if (! graph->getGroupAndPortIdFromFullName(targetPort, groupB, portB))
@@ -2164,6 +2168,7 @@ void CarlaEngine::restorePatchbayConnection(const char* const sourcePort, const
         PatchbayGraph* const graph = pData->graph.getPatchbayGraph();
         CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(graph != nullptr,);
 
+        // TODO external
         if (! graph->getGroupAndPortIdFromFullName(sourcePort, groupA, portA))
             return;
         if (! graph->getGroupAndPortIdFromFullName(targetPort, groupB, portB))
diff --git a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineGraph.hpp b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineGraph.hpp
index 8bec240fa..bfb61b0f9 100644
--- a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineGraph.hpp
+++ b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineGraph.hpp
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ struct PatchbayGraph {
     void clearConnections();
     void refresh(const char* const deviceName);
 
-    const char* const* getConnections() const;
+    const char* const* getConnections(const bool external) const;
     bool getGroupAndPortIdFromFullName(const char* const fullPortName, uint& groupId, uint& portId) const;
 
     void process(CarlaEngine::ProtectedData* const data, const float* const* const inBuf, float* const* const outBuf, const int frames);
diff --git a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineJack.cpp b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineJack.cpp
index 3415ff7e7..a8fb416d6 100644
--- a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineJack.cpp
+++ b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineJack.cpp
@@ -1215,13 +1215,13 @@ public:
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Patchbay stuff
 
-    const char* const* getPatchbayConnections() const override
+    const char* const* getPatchbayConnections(const bool external) const override
     {
         CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(fClient != nullptr, nullptr);
-        carla_debug("CarlaEngineJack::getPatchbayConnections()");
+        carla_debug("CarlaEngineJack::getPatchbayConnections(%s)", bool2str(external));
 
-        if (pData->options.processMode == ENGINE_PROCESS_MODE_PATCHBAY)
-            return CarlaEngine::getPatchbayConnections();
+        if (pData->options.processMode == ENGINE_PROCESS_MODE_PATCHBAY && ! external)
+            return CarlaEngine::getPatchbayConnections(external);
 
         CarlaStringList connList;
 
@@ -1257,15 +1257,15 @@ public:
         return fRetConns;
     }
 
-    void restorePatchbayConnection(const char* const connSource, const char* const connTarget) override
+    void restorePatchbayConnection(const bool external, const char* const connSource, const char* const connTarget) override
     {
         CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(fClient != nullptr,);
         CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(connSource != nullptr && connSource[0] != '\0',);
         CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(connTarget != nullptr && connTarget[0] != '\0',);
         carla_debug("CarlaEngineJack::restorePatchbayConnection(\"%s\", \"%s\")", connSource, connTarget);
 
-        if (pData->options.processMode == ENGINE_PROCESS_MODE_PATCHBAY)
-            return CarlaEngine::restorePatchbayConnection(connSource, connTarget);
+        if (pData->options.processMode == ENGINE_PROCESS_MODE_PATCHBAY && ! external)
+            return CarlaEngine::restorePatchbayConnection(external, connSource, connTarget);
 
         if (const jack_port_t* const port = jackbridge_port_by_name(fClient, connSource))
         {