diff --git a/src/MainWindow/main_window.h b/src/MainWindow/main_window.h
index 89dd0bdd5..85ad199e8 100644
--- a/src/MainWindow/main_window.h
+++ b/src/MainWindow/main_window.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class MainWindow : public QMainWindow, public TopLevelInterface {
   void newProjectDlg();
   void openProjectDialog(const QString& dir = QString{});
   void openExampleProject();
-  bool closeProject(bool force = false);
+  bool closeProject(bool force = false, bool skipWelcomePage = false);
   void openFileSlot();
   void openFilePath(const QString& filePath);
   void newDesignCreated(const QString& design);
diff --git a/src/MainWindow/main_window_ql.cpp b/src/MainWindow/main_window_ql.cpp
index 787068d23..b0e00b1d3 100644
--- a/src/MainWindow/main_window_ql.cpp
+++ b/src/MainWindow/main_window_ql.cpp
@@ -230,13 +230,16 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(Session* session)
           this, &MainWindow::onDesignFilesChanged);
   connect(DesignFileWatcher::Instance(), &DesignFileWatcher::designCreated,
           this, &MainWindow::onDesignCreated);
-
+#ifndef UPSTREAM_PINPLANNER
+  connect(DesignFileWatcher::Instance(), &DesignFileWatcher::designFileContentChanged,
+          TaskStatusWatcher::Instance(), &TaskStatusWatcher::onDesignFilesChanged);
   connect(TaskStatusWatcher::Instance(), &TaskStatusWatcher::synthSucceeded, this, [this](){
     if (m_pinAssignmentCreator) {
       m_pinAssignmentCreator->forceNextPcfFileCheck();
     }
     refreshPinPlanner();
   });
+#endif
 }
 
 void MainWindow::Tcl_NewProject(int argc, const char* argv[]) {
@@ -294,7 +297,7 @@ void MainWindow::newFile() {
 }
 
 void MainWindow::newProjectDlg() {
-  if (!closeProject()) return;
+  if (!closeProject(/*force*/false, /*skipWelcomePage*/true)) return;
   newProjdialog->Reset();
   newProjdialog->open();
 }
@@ -349,21 +352,30 @@ void MainWindow::openProjectDialog(const QString& dir) {
   if (!fileName.isEmpty()) openProject(fileName, false, false);
 }
 
-bool MainWindow::closeProject(bool force) {
+bool MainWindow::closeProject(bool force, bool skipWelcomePage) {
   if (m_projectManager && m_projectManager->HasDesign()) {
     if (!force && !confirmCloseProject()) {
       return false;
     }
+
+    TaskStatusWatcher::Instance()->reset();
     GlobalSession->CmdLine()->Clear();
     CompilerOpenFPGA_ql* compiler_ql = static_cast<CompilerOpenFPGA_ql*>(m_compiler);
     if (compiler_ql) {
       compiler_ql->CleanScripts();
     }
+
     forceStopCompilation();
     Project::Instance()->InitProject();
     newProjdialog->Reset();
     CloseOpenedTabs();
-    m_showWelcomePage ? showWelcomePage() : ReShowWindow({});
+
+    if (skipWelcomePage) {
+      ReShowWindow({});
+    } else {
+      m_showWelcomePage ? showWelcomePage() : ReShowWindow({});
+    }
+
     setStatusAndProgressText(QString{});
     if (m_taskManager) {
       m_taskManager->reset();
@@ -535,6 +547,10 @@ void MainWindow::openProject(const QString& project, bool delayedOpen,
     return;
   }
 
+  if (!closeProject(/*force*/false, /*skipWelcomePage*/true)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   ReShowWindow(project);
   loadFile(project);
   emit projectOpened();
@@ -545,12 +561,6 @@ void MainWindow::openProject(const QString& project, bool delayedOpen,
   showMessagesTab();
   showReportsTab();
 
-  GlobalSession->CmdLine()->Clear();
-  CompilerOpenFPGA_ql* compiler_ql = static_cast<CompilerOpenFPGA_ql*>(m_compiler);
-  if (compiler_ql) {
-    compiler_ql->CleanScripts();
-  }
-
   if (run) startProject(false);
   setStatusAndProgressText(QString{});
 }
@@ -774,9 +784,6 @@ void MainWindow::popRecentSetting() {
 void MainWindow::onDesignFilesChanged() {
   QString msg = "Design files changed. Recompile might be needed.";
   setStatusAndProgressText(msg);
-#ifndef UPSTREAM_PINPLANNER
-  TaskStatusWatcher::Instance()->onDesignFilesChanged();
-#endif
 }
 
 void MainWindow::onDesignCreated() {
diff --git a/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/DesignFileWatcher.cpp b/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/DesignFileWatcher.cpp
index 8f026b7d4..6c1e71191 100644
--- a/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/DesignFileWatcher.cpp
+++ b/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/DesignFileWatcher.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ void DesignFileWatcher::init() {
   m_fileWatcher = new QFileSystemWatcher{};
   QObject::connect(m_fileWatcher, &QFileSystemWatcher::fileChanged, this,
                    &DesignFileWatcher::designFilesChanged);
+
+  // The signal designFileContentChanged notifies explicitly on design file content changes.
+  // Note: designFilesChanged cannot be used because it also notifies on the setFiles event.
+  QObject::connect(m_fileWatcher, &QFileSystemWatcher::fileChanged, this,
+                   &DesignFileWatcher::designFileContentChanged);
 }
 
 void DesignFileWatcher::emitDesignCreated() { emit designCreated(); }
diff --git a/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/DesignFileWatcher.h b/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/DesignFileWatcher.h
index 1c02bae97..d8438500d 100644
--- a/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/DesignFileWatcher.h
+++ b/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/DesignFileWatcher.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class DesignFileWatcher : public QObject {
 
  signals:
   void designFilesChanged();
+  void designFileContentChanged();
   void designCreated();
 
  private:
diff --git a/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/TaskStatusWatcher.cpp b/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/TaskStatusWatcher.cpp
index 36a224e8b..9a5420b3f 100644
--- a/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/TaskStatusWatcher.cpp
+++ b/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/TaskStatusWatcher.cpp
@@ -24,12 +24,8 @@ void TaskStatusWatcher::onTaskDone(uint taskId, TaskStatus status)
 
 void TaskStatusWatcher::onDesignFilesChanged()
 {
-  if (!m_isDesignChangedFirstTime) {
-    m_isSynthResultDirty = true;
-    emit synthResultDirty();
-  } else {
-    m_isDesignChangedFirstTime = false;
-  }
+  m_isSynthResultDirty = true;
+  emit synthResultDirty();
 }
 
 }  // namespace FOEDAG
diff --git a/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/TaskStatusWatcher.h b/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/TaskStatusWatcher.h
index 7864e6e55..a2ac37bec 100644
--- a/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/TaskStatusWatcher.h
+++ b/src/NewProject/ProjectManager/TaskStatusWatcher.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class TaskStatusWatcher : public QObject {
  public:
   static TaskStatusWatcher *Instance();
 
+  void reset() { m_isSynthResultDirty = false; }
   bool isSynthResultDirty() const { return m_isSynthResultDirty; }
 
 signals:
@@ -25,7 +26,6 @@ public slots:
 
  private:
   bool m_isSynthResultDirty = false;
-  bool m_isDesignChangedFirstTime = true; // when initially project is loaded it emit signal about design files change, we want to skip this event
 };
 
 }  // namespace FOEDAG