diff --git a/src/app.h b/src/app.h
index 528cf1c..de4df43 100644
--- a/src/app.h
+++ b/src/app.h
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ public:
     bool key_char(char key);
     void toggle_ui();
     void set_stylus();
-    void message_box(const std::string& title, const std::string& text);
+    NodeMessageBox* message_box(const std::string& title, const std::string& text, bool cancel_button = false);
 
     void rec_clear();
     void rec_loop();
diff --git a/src/app_dialogs.cpp b/src/app_dialogs.cpp
index f6bbd1c..62d00c1 100644
--- a/src/app_dialogs.cpp
+++ b/src/app_dialogs.cpp
@@ -22,17 +22,19 @@ std::shared_ptr<NodeProgressBar> App::show_progress(const std::string& title)
     return pb;
 }
 
-void App::message_box(const std::string &title, const std::string& text)
+NodeMessageBox* App::message_box(const std::string &title, const std::string& text, bool cancel_button)
 {
     async_start();
     auto* m = layout[main_id]->add_child<NodeMessageBox>();
     m->m_title->set_text(title.c_str());
     m->m_message->set_text(text.c_str());
     m->btn_ok->m_text->set_text("Ok");
-    m->btn_cancel->destroy();
+    if (!cancel_button)
+        m->btn_cancel->destroy();
     layout[main_id]->update();
     async_redraw();
     async_end();
+    return m;
 }
 
 void App::dialog_usermanual()
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 28260c3..6e95ba2 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ void destroy_window()
     main_tasklist.emplace_back([=] {
         SendMessage(hWnd, WM_USER_CLOSE, 0, 0);
     });
-    SendMessage(hWnd, WM_USER_CLOSE, 0, 0);
 }
 
 void async_lock()
@@ -826,6 +825,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
         LOG("hmd renderer terminated");
     });
 
+    SetTimer(hWnd, 1, 500, NULL);
 
     MSG msg;
     LOG("start main loop");
diff --git a/src/node_canvas.cpp b/src/node_canvas.cpp
index e2f0de2..2e8a691 100644
--- a/src/node_canvas.cpp
+++ b/src/node_canvas.cpp
@@ -464,7 +464,9 @@ kEventResult NodeCanvas::handle_event(Event* e)
         App::I.show_cursor();
         break;
     case kEventType::MouseFocus:
-        App::I.hide_cursor();
+        m_canvas->m_current_mode == kCanvasMode::Draw ||
+            m_canvas->m_current_mode == kCanvasMode::Erase ?
+            App::I.hide_cursor() : App::I.show_cursor();
         break;
     case kEventType::KeyDown:
         if (ke->m_key == kKey::KeyE)
@@ -472,9 +474,14 @@ kEventResult NodeCanvas::handle_event(Event* e)
         if (ke->m_key == kKey::AndroidBack)
             if (!ActionManager::empty())
                 ActionManager::undo();
-
+        if (ke->m_key == kKey::KeyAlt)
+            App::I.show_cursor();
         break;
     case kEventType::KeyUp:
+        if (ke->m_key == kKey::KeyAlt)
+            m_canvas->m_current_mode == kCanvasMode::Draw || 
+            m_canvas->m_current_mode == kCanvasMode::Erase ? 
+            App::I.hide_cursor() : App::I.show_cursor();
         if (ke->m_key == kKey::KeyE)
             Canvas::set_mode(kCanvasMode::Draw);
         if (ke->m_key == kKey::KeyTab)
diff --git a/src/node_panel_brush.cpp b/src/node_panel_brush.cpp
index dfa2b0a..c003f84 100644
--- a/src/node_panel_brush.cpp
+++ b/src/node_panel_brush.cpp
@@ -429,7 +429,17 @@ void NodePanelBrushPreset::init()
         save();
     };
 
-    restore();
+    if (Asset::exist(App::I.data_path + "/settings/presets.bin") && !restore())
+    {
+        auto mb = App::I.message_box("Presets", "Could not read brush presets file, it will be deleted.", true);
+        mb->btn_ok->on_click = [mb](Node*) {
+            Asset::delete_file(App::I.data_path + "/settings/presets.bin");
+            mb->destroy();
+        };
+        mb->btn_cancel->on_click = [mb](Node*) {
+            mb->destroy();
+        };
+    }
 }
 
 kEventResult NodePanelBrushPreset::handle_event(Event* e)
@@ -476,12 +486,14 @@ bool NodePanelBrushPreset::save()
     {
         BinaryStreamWriter sw;
         sw.init();
+        sw.wstring_raw("PPVR");
+        sw.wu16(0);
+        sw.wu16(1);
         sw.wu32(m_container->m_children.size());
         for (int ci = 0; ci < m_container->m_children.size(); ci++)
         {
             auto bpi = static_cast<NodeBrushPresetItem*>(m_container->get_child_at(ci));
             auto& b = bpi->m_brush;
-
             sw << *b;
         }
         fwrite(sw.m_data.data(), sw.m_data.size(), 1, fp);
@@ -501,15 +513,37 @@ bool NodePanelBrushPreset::restore()
         fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_SET);
         std::vector<uint8_t> data(sz);
         fread(data.data(), 1, sz, fp);
+
         BinaryStreamReader sr;
         sr.init(data.data(), sz);
 
+        // sanity checks
+        if (sr.rstring(4) != "PPVR")
+        {
+            LOG("PPVR tag not found")
+            fclose(fp);
+            return false;
+        }
+        auto vmaj = sr.ru16();
+        auto vmin = sr.ru16();
+        if (vmaj != 0 && vmin != 1)
+        {
+            LOG("unrecognised version %d.$d", vmaj, vmin);
+            fclose(fp);
+            return false;
+        }
+
         auto count = sr.ru32();
 
         for (int k = 0; k < count; k++)
         {
             auto b = std::make_shared<Brush>();
-            sr >> *b;
+            if (!b->read(sr))
+            {
+                LOG("error deserializing the brush");
+                fclose(fp);
+                return false;
+            }
 
             if (b->valid())
             {