diff --git a/shell/view/Shell.py b/shell/view/Shell.py
index 9a2772f5..f4ba70cd 100644
--- a/shell/view/Shell.py
+++ b/shell/view/Shell.py
@@ -38,11 +38,13 @@ class Shell(gobject.GObject):
         self._current_host = None
         self._screen_rotation = 0
 
+        self._key_handler = KeyHandler(self)
+        self._popup_context = PopupContext()
+        self._frame = Frame(self)
+
         self._home_window = HomeWindow(self)
         self._home_window.show()
-        self.set_zoom_level(sugar.ZOOM_HOME)
-
-        self._key_handler = KeyHandler(self)
+        self._zoom_level = sugar.ZOOM_HOME
 
         home_model = self._model.get_home()
         home_model.connect('activity-added', self._activity_added_cb)
@@ -50,10 +52,6 @@ class Shell(gobject.GObject):
         home_model.connect('active-activity-changed',
                            self._active_activity_changed_cb)
 
-        self._popup_context = PopupContext()
-
-        self._frame = Frame(self)
-
         #self.start_activity('org.laptop.JournalActivity')
 
     def _activity_added_cb(self, home_model, home_activity):
@@ -137,6 +135,10 @@ class Shell(gobject.GObject):
         self.set_zoom_level(sugar.ZOOM_HOME)
 
     def set_zoom_level(self, level):
+        self._zoom_level = level
+        self._update_zoom_level()
+
+    def _update_zoom_level(self):
         if level == sugar.ZOOM_ACTIVITY:
             self._screen.toggle_showing_desktop(False)
         else:
diff --git a/shell/view/frame/frame.py b/shell/view/frame/frame.py
index 11aea677..51a80326 100644
--- a/shell/view/frame/frame.py
+++ b/shell/view/frame/frame.py
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ class _KeyListener(object):
         self._hide_sid = gobject.timeout_add(
                         100, self._hide_frame_timeout_cb)
 
+class _FrameState(object):
+    def __init__(self, visible, mode):
+        self.visible = visible
+        self.mode = mode
+
 class Frame(object):
     def __init__(self, shell):
         self.mode = MODE_NONE
@@ -124,6 +129,7 @@ class Frame(object):
         self._current_position = 0.0
         self._animator = None
         self._hover = False
+        self._saved_state = None
 
         self._event_frame = EventFrame()
         self._event_frame.connect('enter-corner', self._enter_corner_cb)
@@ -149,6 +155,16 @@ class Frame(object):
         self._key_listener = _KeyListener(self)
         self._mouse_listener = _MouseListener(self)
 
+    def save_state(self):
+        self._saved_state = _FrameState(self.visible, self.mode)
+
+    def restore_state(self):
+        if self.saved_state.visible:
+            self.show()
+        else:
+            self.hide()
+        self.mode = self._saved_state.mode
+
     def hide(self, force=False):
         if not self.visible:
             return