diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 5b55743e..3b354a90 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 # to-do for 0.6pre1
 
 - MSM6258 pitch and clock select
-- Game Boy envelope macro/sequence
 - rewrite the system name detection function anyway
-- volume commands should work on Game Boy
 - add another FM editor layout
 - if macros have release, note off should release them
 - add ability to move selection by dragging
 - find and replace
-- (maybe) add default patch selection
+
+# to-do for 0.6pre2 (as this requires new data structures)
+
+- Game Boy envelope macro/sequence
+- volume commands should work on Game Boy
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/gui/doAction.cpp b/src/gui/doAction.cpp
index a83c646d..5b3020d2 100644
--- a/src/gui/doAction.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/doAction.cpp
@@ -536,6 +536,9 @@ void FurnaceGUI::doAction(int what) {
       if (curIns==-1) {
         showError("too many instruments!");
       } else {
+        if (settings.blankIns) {
+          memset(&e->song.ins[curIns]->fm,0,sizeof(DivInstrumentFM));
+        }
         wantScrollList=true;
         MARK_MODIFIED;
         wavePreviewInit=true;
diff --git a/src/gui/gui.h b/src/gui/gui.h
index 705f6827..60d49263 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.h
+++ b/src/gui/gui.h
@@ -951,6 +951,7 @@ class FurnaceGUI {
     int effectCellSpacing;
     int effectValCellSpacing;
     int doubleClickColumn;
+    int blankIns;
     unsigned int maxUndoSteps;
     String mainFontPath;
     String patFontPath;
@@ -1051,6 +1052,7 @@ class FurnaceGUI {
       effectCellSpacing(0),
       effectValCellSpacing(0),
       doubleClickColumn(1),
+      blankIns(0),
       maxUndoSteps(100),
       mainFontPath(""),
       patFontPath(""),
diff --git a/src/gui/settings.cpp b/src/gui/settings.cpp
index 10e93743..18490ad9 100644
--- a/src/gui/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/settings.cpp
@@ -465,6 +465,11 @@ void FurnaceGUI::drawSettings() {
             ImGui::SetTooltip("saves power by lowering the frame rate to 2fps when idle.\nmay cause issues under Mesa drivers!");
           }
 
+          bool blankInsB=settings.blankIns;
+          if (ImGui::Checkbox("New instruments are blank",&blankInsB)) {
+            settings.blankIns=blankInsB;
+          }
+
           ImGui::Text("Note preview behavior:");
           if (ImGui::RadioButton("Never##npb0",settings.notePreviewBehavior==0)) {
             settings.notePreviewBehavior=0;
@@ -2029,7 +2034,8 @@ void FurnaceGUI::syncSettings() {
   settings.insCellSpacing=e->getConfInt("insCellSpacing",0);
   settings.volCellSpacing=e->getConfInt("volCellSpacing",0);
   settings.effectCellSpacing=e->getConfInt("effectCellSpacing",0);
-  settings.doubleClickColumn=e->getConfInt("doubleClickColumn",0);
+  settings.doubleClickColumn=e->getConfInt("doubleClickColumn",1);
+  settings.blankIns=e->getConfInt("blankIns",0);
 
   clampSetting(settings.mainFontSize,2,96);
   clampSetting(settings.patFontSize,2,96);
@@ -2114,6 +2120,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::syncSettings() {
   clampSetting(settings.effectCellSpacing,0,32);
   clampSetting(settings.effectValCellSpacing,0,32);
   clampSetting(settings.doubleClickColumn,0,1);
+  clampSetting(settings.blankIns,0,1);
 
   settings.initialSys=e->decodeSysDesc(e->getConfString("initialSys",""));
   if (settings.initialSys.size()<4) {
@@ -2247,6 +2254,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::commitSettings() {
   e->setConf("effectCellSpacing",settings.effectCellSpacing);
   e->setConf("effectValCellSpacing",settings.effectValCellSpacing);
   e->setConf("doubleClickColumn",settings.doubleClickColumn);
+  e->setConf("blankIns",settings.blankIns);
 
   // colors
   for (int i=0; i<GUI_COLOR_MAX; i++) {