diff --git a/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp b/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
index b13b3783..30d94b77 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ void rwSettings(bool writing)
     SETTING_RW(prefs.mainheight, "/Recoll/geometry/height", Int, 0);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.pvwidth, "/Recoll/geometry/pvwidth", Int, 0);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.pvheight, "/Recoll/geometry/pvheight", Int, 0);
+    SETTING_RW(prefs.toolArea, "/Recoll/geometry/toolArea", Int, 0);
+    SETTING_RW(prefs.resArea, "/Recoll/geometry/resArea", Int, 0);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.ssearchTyp, "/Recoll/prefs/simpleSearchTyp", Int, 3);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.startWithAdvSearchOpen, 
 	       "/Recoll/prefs/startWithAdvSearchOpen", Bool, false);
diff --git a/src/qtgui/guiutils.h b/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
index 2b232e10..be40c48a 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
+++ b/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ class PrefsPack {
     int mainheight;
     int pvwidth; // Preview window geom
     int pvheight;
+    int toolArea; // Area for "tools" toolbar
+    int resArea; // Area for "results" toolbar
     int ssearchTyp;
     // Use single app (default: xdg-open), instead of per-mime settings
     bool useDesktopOpen; 
diff --git a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
index 3431b6d5..1baa5a77 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
@@ -94,6 +94,18 @@ QString g_stringAllStem, g_stringNoStem;
 static const QKeySequence quitKeySeq("Ctrl+q");
 static const QKeySequence closeKeySeq("Ctrl+w");
 
+static Qt::ToolBarArea int2area(int in)
+{
+    switch (in) {
+    case Qt::LeftToolBarArea: return Qt::LeftToolBarArea;
+    case Qt::RightToolBarArea: return Qt::RightToolBarArea;
+    case Qt::BottomToolBarArea: return Qt::BottomToolBarArea;
+    case Qt::TopToolBarArea:
+    default:
+        return Qt::TopToolBarArea;
+    }
+}
+
 void RclMain::init()
 {
     // This is just to get the common catg strings into the message file
@@ -162,11 +174,11 @@ void RclMain::init()
     m_toolsTB->addAction(toolsAdvanced_SearchAction);
     m_toolsTB->addAction(toolsDoc_HistoryAction);
     m_toolsTB->addAction(toolsSpellAction);
-    this->addToolBar(Qt::TopToolBarArea, m_toolsTB);
+    this->addToolBar(int2area(prefs.toolArea), m_toolsTB);
 
     m_resTB = new QToolBar(this);
     m_resTB->setObjectName(QString::fromUtf8("m_resTB"));
-    this->addToolBar(Qt::TopToolBarArea, m_resTB);
+    this->addToolBar(int2area(prefs.resArea), m_resTB);
 
     // Document filter buttons and combobox
     // Combobox version of the document filter control
@@ -630,6 +642,8 @@ void RclMain::fileExit()
         prefs.mainwidth = width();
         prefs.mainheight = height();
     }
+    prefs.toolArea = toolBarArea(m_toolsTB);
+    prefs.resArea = toolBarArea(m_resTB);
     restable->saveColState();
 
     prefs.ssearchTyp = sSearch->searchTypCMB->currentIndex();