diff --git a/webtranslate/config.py b/webtranslate/config.py
--- a/webtranslate/config.py
+++ b/webtranslate/config.py
@@ -326,7 +326,6 @@ class ProjectCache:
             return "A project file named \"{}\" already exists".format(disk_name)
 
         # Construct a new project from scratch.
-        path = os.path.join(self.project_root, path)
         storage = cfg.storage_format
         if storage == STORAGE_ONE_FILE:
             path = os.path.join(self.project_root, disk_name + ".xml")
@@ -340,6 +339,7 @@ class ProjectCache:
         pmd = ProjectMetaData(proj_store, human_name)
         self.projects[disk_name] = pmd
         pmd.pdata = data.Project(human_name, projtype, url)
+        pmd.pdata.set_modified()
         pmd.create_statistics()
         self.lru.append(pmd)
         self.save_pmd(pmd)