diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 95a0292..265a902 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ set(ads_SRCS
     src/DockSplitter.cpp
     src/DockWidget.cpp
     src/DockWidgetTab.cpp
+	src/DockingStateReader.cpp
     src/ElidingLabel.cpp
     src/FloatingDockContainer.cpp
 	src/FloatingOverlay.cpp
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ set(ads_INSTALL_INCLUDE
     src/DockSplitter.h
     src/DockWidget.h
     src/DockWidgetTab.h
+	src/DockingStateReader.h
     src/ElidingLabel.h
     src/FloatingDockContainer.h
 	src/FloatingOverlay.h
diff --git a/src/DockContainerWidget.cpp b/src/DockContainerWidget.cpp
index ee66e6f..94af7a3 100644
--- a/src/DockContainerWidget.cpp
+++ b/src/DockContainerWidget.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #include "DockManager.h"
 #include "DockAreaWidget.h"
 #include "DockWidget.h"
+#include "DockingStateReader.h"
 #include "FloatingDockContainer.h"
 #include "DockOverlay.h"
 #include "ads_globals.h"
@@ -218,21 +219,21 @@ public:
 	 * \param[in] Testing If Testing is true, only the stream data is
 	 * parsed without modifiying anything.
 	 */
-	bool restoreChildNodes(QXmlStreamReader& Stream, QWidget*& CreatedWidget,
+	bool restoreChildNodes(CDockingStateReader& Stream, QWidget*& CreatedWidget,
 		bool Testing);
 
 	/**
 	 * Restores a splitter.
 	 * \see restoreChildNodes() for details
 	 */
-	bool restoreSplitter(QXmlStreamReader& Stream, QWidget*& CreatedWidget,
+	bool restoreSplitter(CDockingStateReader& Stream, QWidget*& CreatedWidget,
 		bool Testing);
 
 	/**
 	 * Restores a dock area.
 	 * \see restoreChildNodes() for details
 	 */
-	bool restoreDockArea(QXmlStreamReader& Stream, QWidget*& CreatedWidget,
+	bool restoreDockArea(CDockingStateReader& Stream, QWidget*& CreatedWidget,
 		bool Testing);
 
 	/**
@@ -771,25 +772,30 @@ void DockContainerWidgetPrivate::saveChildNodesState(QXmlStreamWriter& s, QWidge
 
 
 //============================================================================
-bool DockContainerWidgetPrivate::restoreSplitter(QXmlStreamReader& s,
+bool DockContainerWidgetPrivate::restoreSplitter(CDockingStateReader& s,
 	QWidget*& CreatedWidget, bool Testing)
 {
 	bool Ok;
 	QString OrientationStr = s.attributes().value("Orientation").toString();
-	int Orientation;
-	if (OrientationStr.startsWith("|"))
-	{
-		Orientation = Qt::Horizontal;
-	}
-	else if (OrientationStr.startsWith("-"))
-	{
-		Orientation = Qt::Vertical;
-	}
-	else
+
+	// Check if the orientation string is right
+	if (!OrientationStr.startsWith("|") && !OrientationStr.startsWith("-"))
 	{
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	// The "|" shall indicate a vertical splitter handle which in turn means
+	// a Horizontal orientation of the splitter layout.
+	bool HorizontalSplitter = OrientationStr.startsWith("|");
+	// In version 0 we had a small bug. The "|" indicated a vertical orientation,
+	// but this is wrong, because only the splitter handle is vertical, the
+	// layout of the splitter is a horizontal layout. We fix this here
+	if (s.fileVersion() == 0)
+	{
+		HorizontalSplitter = !HorizontalSplitter;
+	}
+
+	int Orientation = HorizontalSplitter ? Qt::Horizontal : Qt::Vertical;
 	int WidgetCount = s.attributes().value("Count").toInt(&Ok);
 	if (!Ok)
 	{
@@ -878,7 +884,7 @@ bool DockContainerWidgetPrivate::restoreSplitter(QXmlStreamReader& s,
 
 
 //============================================================================
-bool DockContainerWidgetPrivate::restoreDockArea(QXmlStreamReader& s,
+bool DockContainerWidgetPrivate::restoreDockArea(CDockingStateReader& s,
 	QWidget*& CreatedWidget, bool Testing)
 {
 	bool Ok;
@@ -959,7 +965,7 @@ bool DockContainerWidgetPrivate::restoreDockArea(QXmlStreamReader& s,
 
 
 //============================================================================
-bool DockContainerWidgetPrivate::restoreChildNodes(QXmlStreamReader& s,
+bool DockContainerWidgetPrivate::restoreChildNodes(CDockingStateReader& s,
 	QWidget*& CreatedWidget, bool Testing)
 {
 	bool Result = true;
@@ -1508,7 +1514,7 @@ void CDockContainerWidget::saveState(QXmlStreamWriter& s) const
 
 
 //============================================================================
-bool CDockContainerWidget::restoreState(QXmlStreamReader& s, bool Testing)
+bool CDockContainerWidget::restoreState(CDockingStateReader& s, bool Testing)
 {
 	bool IsFloating = s.attributes().value("Floating").toInt();
     ADS_PRINT("Restore CDockContainerWidget Floating" << IsFloating);
@@ -1529,7 +1535,7 @@ bool CDockContainerWidget::restoreState(QXmlStreamReader& s, bool Testing)
 			return false;
 		}
 
-		QByteArray GeometryString = s.readElementText(QXmlStreamReader::ErrorOnUnexpectedElement).toLocal8Bit();
+		QByteArray GeometryString = s.readElementText(CDockingStateReader::ErrorOnUnexpectedElement).toLocal8Bit();
 		QByteArray Geometry = QByteArray::fromHex(GeometryString);
 		if (Geometry.isEmpty())
 		{
diff --git a/src/DockContainerWidget.h b/src/DockContainerWidget.h
index db40672..f44f45d 100644
--- a/src/DockContainerWidget.h
+++ b/src/DockContainerWidget.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 #include "DockWidget.h"
 
 class QXmlStreamWriter;
-class QXmlStreamReader;
+
 
 namespace ads
 {
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ class CFloatingDockContainer;
 struct FloatingDockContainerPrivate;
 class CFloatingOverlay;
 struct FloatingOverlayPrivate;
+class CDockingStateReader;
 
 /**
  * Container that manages a number of dock areas with single dock widgets
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ protected:
 	 * stream but does not restore anything. You can use this check for
 	 * faulty files before you start restoring the state
 	 */
-	bool restoreState(QXmlStreamReader& Stream, bool Testing);
+	bool restoreState(CDockingStateReader& Stream, bool Testing);
 
 	/**
 	 * This function returns the last added dock area widget for the given
diff --git a/src/DockManager.cpp b/src/DockManager.cpp
index 6b32aec..b555a31 100644
--- a/src/DockManager.cpp
+++ b/src/DockManager.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QAction>
 #include <QXmlStreamWriter>
-#include <QXmlStreamReader>
 #include <QSettings>
 #include <QMenu>
 #include <QApplication>
@@ -53,6 +52,7 @@
 #include "ads_globals.h"
 #include "DockAreaWidget.h"
 #include "IconProvider.h"
+#include "DockingStateReader.h"
 
 
 
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ struct DockManagerPrivate
 	/**
 	 * Restores the container with the given index
 	 */
-	bool restoreContainer(int Index, QXmlStreamReader& stream, bool Testing);
+	bool restoreContainer(int Index, CDockingStateReader& stream, bool Testing);
 
 	/**
 	 * Loads the stylesheet
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ void DockManagerPrivate::loadStylesheet()
 
 
 //============================================================================
-bool DockManagerPrivate::restoreContainer(int Index, QXmlStreamReader& stream, bool Testing)
+bool DockManagerPrivate::restoreContainer(int Index, CDockingStateReader& stream, bool Testing)
 {
 	if (Testing)
 	{
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ bool DockManagerPrivate::restoreStateFromXml(const QByteArray &state,  int versi
     {
         return false;
     }
-    QXmlStreamReader s(state);
+    CDockingStateReader s(state);
     s.readNextStartElement();
     if (s.name() != "QtAdvancedDockingSystem")
     {
@@ -218,11 +218,12 @@ bool DockManagerPrivate::restoreStateFromXml(const QByteArray &state,  int versi
     ADS_PRINT(s.attributes().value("Version"));
     bool ok;
     int v = s.attributes().value("Version").toInt(&ok);
-    if (!ok || v != version)
+    if (!ok || v > CurrentVersion)
     {
     	return false;
     }
 
+    s.setFileVersion(v);
     bool Result = true;
 #ifdef ADS_DEBUG_PRINT
     int  DockContainers = s.attributes().value("Containers").toInt();
diff --git a/src/DockManager.h b/src/DockManager.h
index 59a2447..f50aaf8 100644
--- a/src/DockManager.h
+++ b/src/DockManager.h
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ public:
 	 * The XmlMode XmlAutoFormattingDisabled is better if you would like to have
 	 * a more compact XML output - i.e. for storage in ini files.
 	 */
-	QByteArray saveState(int version = 0) const;
+	QByteArray saveState(int version = Version1) const;
 
 	/**
 	 * Restores the state of this dockmanagers dockwidgets.
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ public:
 	 * returns false; otherwise, the state is restored, and this function
 	 * returns true.
 	 */
-	bool restoreState(const QByteArray &state, int version = 0);
+	bool restoreState(const QByteArray &state, int version = Version1);
 
 	/**
 	 * Saves the current perspective to the internal list of perspectives.
diff --git a/src/DockingStateReader.cpp b/src/DockingStateReader.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ae0f3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/DockingStateReader.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+//============================================================================
+/// \file   DockingStateReader.cpp
+/// \author Uwe Kindler
+/// \date   29.11.2019
+/// \brief  Implementation of CDockingStateReader
+//============================================================================
+
+//============================================================================
+//                                   INCLUDES
+//============================================================================
+#include "DockingStateReader.h"
+
+namespace ads
+{
+
+//============================================================================
+void CDockingStateReader::setFileVersion(int FileVersion)
+{
+	m_FileVersion = FileVersion;
+}
+
+//============================================================================
+int CDockingStateReader::fileVersion() const
+{
+	return m_FileVersion;
+}
+} // namespace ads
+
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// EOF DockingStateReader.cpp
diff --git a/src/DockingStateReader.h b/src/DockingStateReader.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c59dc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/DockingStateReader.h
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#ifndef DockingStateReaderH
+#define DockingStateReaderH
+//============================================================================
+/// \file   DockingStateReader.h
+/// \author Uwe Kindler
+/// \date   29.11.2019
+/// \brief  Declaration of CDockingStateReader
+//============================================================================
+
+//============================================================================
+//                                   INCLUDES
+//============================================================================
+#include <QXmlStreamReader>
+
+namespace ads
+{
+
+/**
+ * Extends QXmlStreamReader with file version information
+ */
+class CDockingStateReader : public QXmlStreamReader
+{
+private:
+	int m_FileVersion;
+
+public:
+	using QXmlStreamReader::QXmlStreamReader;
+
+	/**
+	 * Set the file version for this state reader
+	 */
+	void setFileVersion(int FileVersion);
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the file version set via setFileVersion
+	 */
+	int fileVersion() const;
+};
+
+} // namespace ads
+
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#endif // DockingStateReaderH
diff --git a/src/FloatingDockContainer.cpp b/src/FloatingDockContainer.cpp
index dc4e583..b042768 100644
--- a/src/FloatingDockContainer.cpp
+++ b/src/FloatingDockContainer.cpp
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ void CFloatingDockContainer::onDockAreaCurrentChanged(int Index)
 }
 
 //============================================================================
-bool CFloatingDockContainer::restoreState(QXmlStreamReader &Stream,
+bool CFloatingDockContainer::restoreState(CDockingStateReader &Stream,
     bool Testing)
 {
 	if (!d->DockContainer->restoreState(Stream, Testing))
diff --git a/src/FloatingDockContainer.h b/src/FloatingDockContainer.h
index 7386222..6c0be1f 100644
--- a/src/FloatingDockContainer.h
+++ b/src/FloatingDockContainer.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 #define tFloatingWidgetBase QWidget
 #endif
 
-class QXmlStreamReader;
+class CDockingStateReader;
 
 namespace ads
 {
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ struct DockWidgetTabPrivate;
 class CDockAreaTitleBar;
 struct DockAreaTitleBarPrivate;
 class CFloatingWidgetTitleBar;
+class CDockingStateReader;
 
 /**
  * Pure virtual interface for floating widgets
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ protected:
 	 * stream but does not restore anything. You can use this check for
 	 * faulty files before you start restoring the state
 	 */
-	bool restoreState(QXmlStreamReader& Stream, bool Testing);
+	bool restoreState(CDockingStateReader& Stream, bool Testing);
 
 	/**
 	 * Call this function to update the window title
diff --git a/src/ads_globals.h b/src/ads_globals.h
index e84163f..043a07d 100644
--- a/src/ads_globals.h
+++ b/src/ads_globals.h
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ class QSplitter;
 
 namespace ads
 {
+enum eStateFileVersion
+{
+	InitialVerison = 0,
+	Version1 = 1,
+	CurrentVersion = Version1
+};
+
 class CDockSplitter;
 
 enum DockWidgetArea
diff --git a/src/src.pro b/src/src.pro
index d80b6ab..e368232 100644
--- a/src/src.pro
+++ b/src/src.pro
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ HEADERS += \
     DockContainerWidget.h \
     DockManager.h \
     DockWidget.h \
-    DockWidgetTab.h \
+    DockWidgetTab.h \ 
+    DockingStateReader.h \
     FloatingDockContainer.h \
     FloatingOverlay.h \
     DockOverlay.h \
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ SOURCES += \
     DockContainerWidget.cpp \
     DockManager.cpp \
     DockWidget.cpp \
+    DockingStateReader.cpp \
     DockWidgetTab.cpp \
     FloatingDockContainer.cpp \
     FloatingOverlay.cpp \