diff --git a/distribution/ReleaseNotes.txt b/distribution/ReleaseNotes.txt
index cf16a867d..f56c74266 100644
--- a/distribution/ReleaseNotes.txt
+++ b/distribution/ReleaseNotes.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ HEAD, planned as v0.20
 - Added EEPROM with separate ports for reading and writing.
 - The external assembly IDE is able to preload also RAMs with executable code.
   The register representing the program counter must be marked as such.
+- Allows the pre-loading of program memory if a RAM is used as such.
 
 v0.19, released on 14. June 2018
 - Added a tabbed pane to the attributes dialog to make it more beginner friendly.
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/element/Keys.java b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/element/Keys.java
index afbf1e573..0ff967265 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/element/Keys.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/element/Keys.java
@@ -658,4 +658,16 @@ public final class Keys {
     public static final Key<CustomShapeDescription> CUSTOM_SHAPE
             = new Key<>("customShape", CustomShapeDescription.EMPTY).setSecondary();
 
+    /**
+     * True if a program is loaded to the simulator at startup
+     */
+    public static final Key<Boolean> PRELOAD_PROGRAM
+            = new Key<Boolean>("preloadProgram", false).setSecondary();
+
+    /**
+     * The file to preload as a program at startup
+     */
+    public static final Key<File> PROGRAM_TO_PRELOAD
+            = new Key.KeyFile("preloadProgramFile", new File("")).setSecondary();
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/Main.java b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/Main.java
index c3280a54f..967dd2ecc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/Main.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/Main.java
@@ -1277,6 +1277,10 @@ public final class Main extends JFrame implements ClosingWindowListener.ConfirmS
 
             if (modelModifier != null)
                 modelModifier.preInit(model);
+            else {
+                if (settings.get(Keys.PRELOAD_PROGRAM))
+                    new RomLoader(settings.get(Keys.PROGRAM_TO_PRELOAD)).preInit(model);
+            }
 
             model.init();
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/components/CircuitComponent.java b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/components/CircuitComponent.java
index 9f9594305..2ae7dd335 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/components/CircuitComponent.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/components/CircuitComponent.java
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ public class CircuitComponent extends JComponent implements Circuit.ChangedListe
         ATTR_LIST.add(Keys.SHOW_DATA_TABLE);
         ATTR_LIST.add(Keys.SHOW_DATA_GRAPH);
         ATTR_LIST.add(Keys.SHOW_DATA_GRAPH_MICRO);
+        ATTR_LIST.add(Keys.PRELOAD_PROGRAM);
+        ATTR_LIST.add(Keys.PROGRAM_TO_PRELOAD);
     }
 
     private static final String DEL_ACTION = "myDelAction";
diff --git a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml
index f98e64ae7..b63417362 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml
@@ -1180,6 +1180,17 @@ Sind evtl. die Namen der Variablen nicht eindeutig?</string>
     <string name="key_useDefShape_tt">Verwendet die einfache Form zur Darstellung. Hat nur einen Effekt, wenn die
         Schaltung eine Benutzerdefinierte Form oder eine DIL Form verwendet.</string>
 
+    <string name="key_preloadProgram">Datei beim Start in den Programmspeicher laden.</string>
+    <string name="key_preloadProgram_tt">Wird ein Prozessor simuliert, der einen RAM-Baustein als Programmspeicher
+        verwendet, ist es schwierig, diesen Prozessor zu starten, da der RAM Inhalt beim Start der Simulation immer mit
+        Nullen initialisiert wird. Diese Einstellung erlaubt das Laden von Daten in den Programmspeicher.
+        Der Programmspeicher in der Simulation muss als solcher markiert sein.
+    </string>
+    <string name="key_preloadProgramFile">Programdatei</string>
+    <string name="key_preloadProgramFile_tt">Datei welche beim Start der Simulation in den Programspeicher geladen werden
+        soll.
+    </string>
+
     <string name="key_textOrientation">Ausrichtung</string>
     <string name="key_textOrientation_tt">Lage der Koordinate relativ zum Text.</string>
     <string name="key_textOrientation_LEFTBOTTOM">links unten</string>
diff --git a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml
index ac78b03a4..ffde16965 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml
@@ -1170,6 +1170,17 @@
     <string name="key_useDefShape">Use Default Shape</string>
     <string name="key_useDefShape_tt">Use the default shape instead of using the DIL or custom shape configured in the circuit.</string>
 
+    <string name="key_preloadProgram">Preload program memory at startup.</string>
+    <string name="key_preloadProgram_tt">When simulating a processor that uses a RAM device as the program memory,
+        it is difficult to start this processor because the RAM contents are always initialized with zeros at the start
+        of the simulation. This setting allows loading data into the program memory at startup.
+        The program memory in the simulation must be marked as such.
+    </string>
+    <string name="key_preloadProgramFile">Program file</string>
+    <string name="key_preloadProgramFile_tt">File which should be loaded into the program memory at the start of the
+        simulation.
+    </string>
+
     <string name="key_textOrientation">Orientation</string>
     <string name="key_textOrientation_tt">Position of the coordinate relative to the text.</string>
     <string name="key_textOrientation_LEFTBOTTOM">left bottom</string>