diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 2945c93e..44d691da 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Version 0.7.3
  - fix: syntax issues not correctly cleared when the file was saved as another name.
  - enhancement: when running a program, redirect a data file to its stdin
  - fix: can't correctly handle '&&' and '||' in the #if directive (and correctly parse windows.h header file)
+ - fix: crash when create an empty project
 
 Version 0.7.2
  - fix: rainbow parenthesis stop functioning when change editor's general options
diff --git a/RedPandaIDE/editor.cpp b/RedPandaIDE/editor.cpp
index dcc0cc35..cd20d4f8 100644
--- a/RedPandaIDE/editor.cpp
+++ b/RedPandaIDE/editor.cpp
@@ -3114,6 +3114,16 @@ void Editor::onExportedFormatToken(PSynHighlighter syntaxHighlighter, int Line,
     }
 }
 
+bool Editor::useCppSyntax() const
+{
+    return mUseCppSyntax;
+}
+
+void Editor::setUseCppSyntax(bool newUseCppSyntax)
+{
+    mUseCppSyntax = newUseCppSyntax;
+}
+
 void Editor::setInProject(bool newInProject)
 {
     if (mInProject == newInProject)
diff --git a/RedPandaIDE/editor.h b/RedPandaIDE/editor.h
index 9f841247..147d24e0 100644
--- a/RedPandaIDE/editor.h
+++ b/RedPandaIDE/editor.h
@@ -299,6 +299,9 @@ public:
     // QWidget interface
     void setInProject(bool newInProject);
 
+    bool useCppSyntax() const;
+    void setUseCppSyntax(bool newUseCppSyntax);
+
 protected:
     void mouseReleaseEvent(QMouseEvent *event) override;
 
diff --git a/RedPandaIDE/mainwindow.cpp b/RedPandaIDE/mainwindow.cpp
index 10a24607..b69387d8 100644
--- a/RedPandaIDE/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/RedPandaIDE/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -4169,6 +4169,7 @@ void MainWindow::on_actionNew_Project_triggered()
                                   tr("Can't assign project template"),
                                   QMessageBox::Ok);
         }
+        mProject->options().useGPP = dialog.isCppProject();
         mProject->saveAll();
         updateProjectView();
     }
@@ -4209,11 +4210,12 @@ void MainWindow::on_actionProject_New_File_triggered()
         node = static_cast<FolderNode*>(current.internalPointer());
     }
     PProjectUnit newUnit = mProject->newUnit(
-                mProject->pointerToNode(node) );
+                mProject->pointerToNode(node));
     idx = mProject->units().count()-1;
     mProject->saveUnits();
     updateProjectView();
     Editor * editor = mProject->openUnit(idx);
+    editor->setUseCppSyntax(mProject->options().useGPP);
     editor->setModified(true);
     editor->activate();
 }
diff --git a/RedPandaIDE/project.cpp b/RedPandaIDE/project.cpp
index d9a395ef..c3a56574 100644
--- a/RedPandaIDE/project.cpp
+++ b/RedPandaIDE/project.cpp
@@ -661,8 +661,14 @@ bool Project::assignTemplate(const std::shared_ptr<ProjectTemplate> aTemplate)
                         true);
 
             QString s2 = QDir(pSettings->dirs().templateDir()).absoluteFilePath(s);
-            if (fileExists(s2)) {
-                editor->loadFile(s2);
+            if (fileExists(s2) && !s.isEmpty()) {
+                try {
+                    editor->loadFile(s2);
+                } catch(FileError& e) {
+                    QMessageBox::critical(pMainWindow,
+                                          tr("Error Load File"),
+                                          e.reason());
+                }
             } else {
                 s.replace("#13#10","\r\n");
                 editor->insertString(s,false);