diff --git a/companion/src/apppreferencesdialog.cpp b/companion/src/apppreferencesdialog.cpp
index 2728c79b4..9877b3f22 100644
--- a/companion/src/apppreferencesdialog.cpp
+++ b/companion/src/apppreferencesdialog.cpp
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ void AppPreferencesDialog::accept()
   g.promptProfile(ui->chkPromptProfile->isChecked());
   g.simuSW(ui->simuSW->isChecked());
   g.removeModelSlots(ui->opt_removeBlankSlots->isChecked());
-  g.newModelAction(ui->opt_newMdl_useWizard->isChecked() ? AppData::MODEL_ACT_WIZARD : ui->opt_newMdl_useEditor->isChecked() ? AppData::MODEL_ACT_EDITOR : AppData::MODEL_ACT_NONE);
+  g.newModelAction((AppData::NewModelAction)ui->cboNewModelAction->currentIndex());
   g.historySize(ui->historySize->value());
   g.backLight(ui->backLightColor->currentIndex());
   profile.volumeGain(round(ui->volumeGain->value() * 10.0));
@@ -207,9 +207,8 @@ void AppPreferencesDialog::initSettings()
 
   ui->simuSW->setChecked(g.simuSW());
   ui->opt_removeBlankSlots->setChecked(g.removeModelSlots());
-  ui->opt_newMdl_useNone->setChecked(g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_NONE);
-  ui->opt_newMdl_useWizard->setChecked(g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_WIZARD);
-  ui->opt_newMdl_useEditor->setChecked(g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_EDITOR);
+  ui->cboNewModelAction->addItems(AppData::newModelActionsList());
+  ui->cboNewModelAction->setCurrentIndex(g.newModelAction());
   ui->libraryPath->setText(g.libDir());
   ui->ge_lineedit->setText(g.gePath());
 
diff --git a/companion/src/apppreferencesdialog.ui b/companion/src/apppreferencesdialog.ui
index 888d6d1c6..4ada1faed 100644
--- a/companion/src/apppreferencesdialog.ui
+++ b/companion/src/apppreferencesdialog.ui
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
       </sizepolicy>
      </property>
      <property name="currentIndex">
-      <number>0</number>
+      <number>1</number>
      </property>
      <widget class="QWidget" name="profileTab">
       <attribute name="title">
@@ -887,40 +887,6 @@ Mode 4:
            </item>
           </layout>
          </item>
-         <item row="10" column="1">
-          <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_2">
-           <item>
-            <widget class="QRadioButton" name="opt_newMdl_useWizard">
-             <property name="text">
-              <string>Use model wizard</string>
-             </property>
-             <attribute name="buttonGroup">
-              <string notr="true">btnGrp_newModelActions</string>
-             </attribute>
-            </widget>
-           </item>
-           <item>
-            <widget class="QRadioButton" name="opt_newMdl_useEditor">
-             <property name="text">
-              <string>Open model editor</string>
-             </property>
-             <attribute name="buttonGroup">
-              <string notr="true">btnGrp_newModelActions</string>
-             </attribute>
-            </widget>
-           </item>
-           <item>
-            <widget class="QRadioButton" name="opt_newMdl_useNone">
-             <property name="text">
-              <string>Just create the model</string>
-             </property>
-             <attribute name="buttonGroup">
-              <string notr="true">btnGrp_newModelActions</string>
-             </attribute>
-            </widget>
-           </item>
-          </layout>
-         </item>
          <item row="14" column="1">
           <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_8">
            <item>
@@ -1190,6 +1156,9 @@ Mode 4:
            </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
+         <item row="10" column="1">
+          <widget class="QComboBox" name="cboNewModelAction"/>
+         </item>
         </layout>
        </item>
        <item>
diff --git a/companion/src/mdichild.cpp b/companion/src/mdichild.cpp
index 3cce72a78..c622f73ed 100644
--- a/companion/src/mdichild.cpp
+++ b/companion/src/mdichild.cpp
@@ -903,8 +903,16 @@ int MdiChild::newModel(int modelIndex, int categoryIndex)
   setSelectedModel(modelIndex);
   //qDebug() << modelIndex << categoryIndex << isNewModel;
 
-  if (isNewModel && g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_WIZARD)
-    openModelWizard(modelIndex);
+  if (isNewModel) {
+    if (g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_WIZARD)
+      openModelWizard(modelIndex);
+    else if (g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_TEMPLATE)
+      openModelTemplate(modelIndex);
+    else if (g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_PROMPT)
+      openModelPrompt(modelIndex);
+    else if (g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_EDITOR)
+      openModelEditWindow(modelIndex);
+  }
   else if (g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_EDITOR)
     openModelEditWindow(modelIndex);
 
@@ -1706,3 +1714,81 @@ void MdiChild::onInternalModuleChanged()
 
   delete fim;
 }
+
+void MdiChild::openModelTemplate(int row)
+{
+  if (row < 0 && (row = getCurrentModel()) < 0)
+    return;
+
+  QString filename = QFileDialog::getOpenFileName(this, tr("Select a model template file"), QDir::toNativeSeparators(g.profile[g.id()].sdPath() + "/TEMPLATES"), YML_FILES_FILTER);
+
+  if (filename.isEmpty())
+    return;
+
+  //  validate like read single model
+  //  if okay copy into current model slot
+
+  RadioData data;
+
+  Storage storage(filename);
+  if (!storage.load(data)) {
+    QMessageBox::critical(this, CPN_STR_TTL_ERROR, storage.error());
+    return;
+  }
+
+  QString warning = storage.warning();
+  if (!warning.isEmpty()) {
+    QMessageBox::warning(this, CPN_STR_TTL_WARNING, warning);
+  }
+
+  radioData.models[row] = data.models[0];
+
+  //  reset module bindings
+  for (int i = 0; i < CPN_MAX_MODULES; i++) {
+    radioData.models[row].moduleData[i].modelId = row + 1;
+  }
+
+  setModified();
+  setSelectedModel(row);
+
+  openModelEditWindow(row);
+}
+
+void MdiChild::openModelPrompt(int row)
+{
+  if (row < 0 && (row = getCurrentModel()) < 0)
+    return;
+
+  QMessageBox msgBox;
+  msgBox.setWindowTitle(CPN_STR_APP_NAME);
+  msgBox.setIcon(QMessageBox::Question);
+  msgBox.setText(tr("Add a new model using"));
+  QPushButton *defaultsButton = msgBox.addButton(tr("Defaults"),QMessageBox::ActionRole);
+  QPushButton *editButton = msgBox.addButton(tr("Edit"),QMessageBox::ActionRole);
+  QPushButton *wizardButton = msgBox.addButton(tr("Wizard"),QMessageBox::ActionRole);
+  QPushButton *templateButton = msgBox.addButton(tr("Template"),QMessageBox::ActionRole);
+  QPushButton *cancelButton = msgBox.addButton(QMessageBox::Cancel);
+
+  msgBox.exec();
+
+  if (msgBox.clickedButton() == cancelButton) {
+      if (!deleteModel(row))
+        QMessageBox::critical(this, CPN_STR_APP_NAME, tr("Failed to remove temporary model!"));
+      return;
+  }
+  else if (msgBox.clickedButton() == defaultsButton) {
+      //  nothing to do here
+      return;
+  }
+  else if (msgBox.clickedButton() == editButton) {
+      openModelEditWindow(row);
+  }
+  else if (msgBox.clickedButton() == wizardButton) {
+      openModelWizard(row);
+  }
+  else if (msgBox.clickedButton() == templateButton) {
+      openModelTemplate(row);
+  }
+
+  return;
+}
diff --git a/companion/src/mdichild.h b/companion/src/mdichild.h
index 47da91ce3..16e0281d3 100644
--- a/companion/src/mdichild.h
+++ b/companion/src/mdichild.h
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ class MdiChild : public QWidget
 
     void openModelWizard(int row = -1);
     void openModelEditWindow(int row = -1);
+    void openModelTemplate(int row = -1);
+    void openModelPrompt(int row = -1);
 
     void setDefault();
     void modelSimulate();
diff --git a/companion/src/storage/appdata.h b/companion/src/storage/appdata.h
index 53ffb71d9..c383be2e5 100644
--- a/companion/src/storage/appdata.h
+++ b/companion/src/storage/appdata.h
@@ -451,10 +451,14 @@ class AppData: public CompStoreObj
     enum NewModelAction {
       MODEL_ACT_NONE,
       MODEL_ACT_WIZARD,
-      MODEL_ACT_EDITOR
+      MODEL_ACT_EDITOR,
+      MODEL_ACT_TEMPLATE,
+      MODEL_ACT_PROMPT
     };
     Q_ENUM(NewModelAction)
 
+    static QStringList newModelActionsList() { return { tr("None"), tr("Wizard"), tr("Editor"), tr("Template"), tr("Prompt") } ; }
+
     explicit AppData();
     void init() override;
     void initAll();