diff --git a/src/loadsave.cc b/src/loadsave.cc
index 548caac..ed69eb6 100644
--- a/src/loadsave.cc
+++ b/src/loadsave.cc
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ int   LoadFile(char *name)
    const char *open_name=name;
    unsigned long long mmap_begin=0;
    unsigned long mmap_len=0;
+   long flineno=-1,fcol=-1;
    char open_name1[256];
    unsigned n;
    if(buffer_mmapped) {
@@ -227,6 +228,14 @@ int   LoadFile(char *name)
       else
 	 mmap_begin=mmap_len=0;
    }
+   if (!buffer_mmapped) {
+      if (sscanf(name,"%[^:]:%lu:%lu",open_name1,&flineno,&fcol)>=2) {
+         open_name=open_name1;
+         // internally the lineno and col are 0-based:
+         flineno--;
+         fcol--;
+      }
+   }
 
    if(stat(open_name,&st)!=-1)
    {
@@ -374,11 +383,14 @@ int   LoadFile(char *name)
 
    fstat(file,&st);
    FileInfo=InodeInfo(&st);
-   strcpy(FileName,name);
+   strcpy(FileName,open_name);
 
    CurrentPos=TextBegin;
-   if(SavePos)
+   if(flineno >= 0)
    {
+      fcol = (fcol >= 0)? fcol : 0;
+      MoveLineCol(flineno,fcol);
+   } else if(SavePos) {
       old=PositionHistory.FindInode(FileInfo);
       if(old)
       {
diff --git a/src/user.cc b/src/user.cc
index c4a488b..b8cd84d 100644
--- a/src/user.cc
+++ b/src/user.cc
@@ -963,58 +963,66 @@ int   file_check(const char *fn)
 	 fn=open_name1;
    }
 
-   if(access(fn,R_OK)==-1)
-   {
-      if(access(fn,F_OK)==0)
-      {
-	 sprintf(msg,"File: %s\nThe specified file is not readable",fn);
-	 ErrMsg(msg);
-	 return ERR;
-      }
-      if((View&RO_MODE) || buffer_mmapped)  // view mode or mmap mode
-      {
-	 sprintf(msg,"File: %s\nThe specified file does not exist",fn);
-	 ErrMsg(msg);
-	 return ERR;
-      }
-      strcpy(dir,fn);
-      slash=dir+strlen(dir);
-      while(slash>dir && !isslash(*--slash));
-      if(slash>dir)
-	 *slash=0;
-      else
-	 strcpy(dir,".");
-      if(access(dir,F_OK)==-1)
-      {
-	 sprintf(msg,"File: %s\nThe specified directory does not exist",fn);
-	 ErrMsg(msg);
-	 return ERR;
-      }
-      if(access(dir,W_OK|X_OK)==-1)
-      {
-	 sprintf(msg,"File: %s\nThe specified file does not exist\n"
-		"and the directory does not permit creating",fn);
-	 ErrMsg(msg);
-	 return ERR;
-      }
+   if(access(fn,R_OK)==0)
+    return OK;
 
-      struct menu CreateOrNot[]=
-      {
-	 {" C&reate ",MIDDLE-6,4},
-	 {" &Cancel ",MIDDLE+6,4},
-	 {NULL}
-      };
-      sprintf(msg,"The file `%s' does not exist. Create?",fn);
-      switch(ReadMenuBox(CreateOrNot,HORIZ,msg,
-	 " Verify ",VERIFY_WIN_ATTR,CURR_BUTTON_ATTR))
-      {
-      case('R'):
+   if (!buffer_mmapped) {
+      char *open_name1=(char*)alloca(strlen(fn)+1);
+      long flineno=0,fcol=0;
+      if (sscanf(fn,"%[^:]:%li:%li",open_name1,&flineno,&fcol)>=2)
+      fn=open_name1;
+      if (access(fn,R_OK)==0)
 	 return OK;
-      default:
-	 return ERR;
-      }
    }
-   return OK;
+
+   if(access(fn,F_OK)==0)
+   {
+      sprintf(msg,"File: %s\nThe specified file is not readable",fn);
+      ErrMsg(msg);
+      return ERR;
+   }
+   if((View&RO_MODE) || buffer_mmapped)  // view mode or mmap mode
+   {
+      sprintf(msg,"File: %s\nThe specified file does not exist",fn);
+      ErrMsg(msg);
+      return ERR;
+   }
+   strcpy(dir,fn);
+   slash=dir+strlen(dir);
+   while(slash>dir && !isslash(*--slash));
+   if(slash>dir)
+      *slash=0;
+   else
+      strcpy(dir,".");
+   if(access(dir,F_OK)==-1)
+   {
+      sprintf(msg,"File: %s\nThe specified directory does not exist",fn);
+      ErrMsg(msg);
+      return ERR;
+   }
+   if(access(dir,W_OK|X_OK)==-1)
+   {
+      sprintf(msg,"File: %s\nThe specified file does not exist\n"
+	     "and the directory does not permit creating",fn);
+      ErrMsg(msg);
+      return ERR;
+   }
+
+   struct menu CreateOrNot[]=
+   {
+      {" C&reate ",MIDDLE-6,4},
+      {" &Cancel ",MIDDLE+6,4},
+      {NULL}
+   };
+   sprintf(msg,"The file `%s' does not exist. Create?",fn);
+   switch(ReadMenuBox(CreateOrNot,HORIZ,msg,
+      " Verify ",VERIFY_WIN_ATTR,CURR_BUTTON_ATTR))
+   {
+   case('R'):
+      return OK;
+   default:
+      return ERR;
+   }
 }
 
 void    UserLoad()