diff --git a/vm/factor.c b/vm/factor.c
index b3020e3171..d9042c9455 100755
--- a/vm/factor.c
+++ b/vm/factor.c
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ INLINE bool factor_arg(const F_CHAR* str, const F_CHAR* arg, CELL* value)
 void init_parameters_from_args(F_PARAMETERS *p, int argc, F_CHAR **argv)
 {
 	default_parameters(p);
-	const F_CHAR *executable_path = vm_executable_path();
-	p->executable_path = executable_path ? executable_path : argv[0];
+	p->executable_path = argv[0];
 
 	int i = 0;
 
@@ -106,6 +105,11 @@ void init_factor(F_PARAMETERS *p)
 	/* OS-specific initialization */
 	early_init();
 
+	const F_CHAR *executable_path = vm_executable_path();
+
+	if(executable_path)
+		p->executable_path = executable_path;
+
 	if(p->image_path == NULL)
 		p->image_path = default_image_path();
 
diff --git a/vm/image.c b/vm/image.c
index 5f4492e537..08aae5898c 100755
--- a/vm/image.c
+++ b/vm/image.c
@@ -112,7 +112,9 @@ bool save_image(const F_CHAR *filename)
 	FILE* file;
 	F_HEADER h;
 
-	file = OPEN_WRITE(filename);
+	F_CHAR temporary_filename[] = "##saving-factor-image##";
+
+	file = OPEN_WRITE(temporary_filename);
 	if(file == NULL)
 	{
 		print_string("Cannot open image file: "); print_native_string(filename); nl();
@@ -163,6 +165,14 @@ bool save_image(const F_CHAR *filename)
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	if(MOVE_FILE_FAILS(temporary_filename, filename))
+	{
+		print_string("Failed to rename tempoarary image file: "); print_string(strerror(errno)); nl();
+		if(DELETE_FILE_FAILS(temporary_filename))
+			print_string("Failed to clean up temporary image file: "); print_string(strerror(errno)); nl();
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/vm/os-unix.h b/vm/os-unix.h
index d2f34b4bc4..9f911acded 100755
--- a/vm/os-unix.h
+++ b/vm/os-unix.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ typedef char F_SYMBOL;
 #define STRCMP strcmp
 #define STRNCMP strncmp
 #define STRDUP strdup
+#define MOVE_FILE_FAILS(old,new) (rename((old),(new)) < 0)
+#define DELETE_FILE_FAILS(old) (unlink((old)) < 0)
 
 #define FIXNUM_FORMAT "%ld"
 #define CELL_FORMAT "%lu"
diff --git a/vm/os-windows.h b/vm/os-windows.h
index a9c3f6d803..beec7ad37c 100755
--- a/vm/os-windows.h
+++ b/vm/os-windows.h
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ typedef wchar_t F_CHAR;
 #define STRCMP wcscmp
 #define STRNCMP wcsncmp
 #define STRDUP _wcsdup
+#define MOVE_FILE_FAILS(old,new) (MoveFile((old),(new)) == 0)
+#define DELETE_FILE_FAILS(old) (DeleteFile((old)) == 0)
 
 #ifdef WIN64
 	#define CELL_FORMAT "%Iu"