diff --git a/engines/ultima/ultima4/game/intro.cpp b/engines/ultima/ultima4/game/intro.cpp
index c986f40729b..41643fead15 100644
--- a/engines/ultima/ultima4/game/intro.cpp
+++ b/engines/ultima/ultima4/game/intro.cpp
@@ -922,37 +922,26 @@ Common::String IntroController::getQuestion(int v1, int v2) {
  * Starts the game.
  */
 void IntroController::journeyOnward() {
-	Common::InSaveFile *saveGameFile;
 	bool validSave = false;
+	int lastSave = ConfMan.hasKey("last_save") ? ConfMan.getInt("last_save") : -1;
 
-	/*
-	 * ensure a party.sav file exists, otherwise require user to
-	 * initiate game
-	 */
-	saveGameFile = g_system->getSavefileManager()->openForLoading(PARTY_SAV_BASE_FILENAME);
-	if (saveGameFile) {
-		SaveGame *saveGame = new SaveGame;
-
-		// Make sure there are players in party.sav --
-		// In the Ultima Collection CD, party.sav exists, but does
-		// not contain valid info to journey onward
-		Common::Serializer ser(saveGameFile, nullptr);
-		saveGame->synchronize(ser);
-
-		if (saveGame->_members > 0)
-			validSave = true;
-		delete saveGame;
-		delete saveGameFile;
+	if (lastSave != -1) {
+		// At this point the game context hasn't been created yet, so we only
+		// want to validate that the given savegame file exists without loading it
+		Common::InSaveFile *saveFile = g_system->getSavefileManager()->openForLoading(
+			g_ultima->getSaveStateName(lastSave));
+		validSave = saveFile != nullptr;
+		delete saveFile;
 	}
 
-	if (!validSave) {
+	if (validSave) {
+		EventHandler::setControllerDone();
+		g_ultima->setToJourneyOnwards();
+	} else {
 		_errorMessage = "Initiate a new game first!";
 		updateScreen();
 		g_screen->update();
-		return;
 	}
-
-	EventHandler::setControllerDone();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/engines/ultima/ultima4/ultima4.cpp b/engines/ultima/ultima4/ultima4.cpp
index 9083172001b..b9299b9163d 100644
--- a/engines/ultima/ultima4/ultima4.cpp
+++ b/engines/ultima/ultima4/ultima4.cpp
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ bool quit = false, verbose = false;
 Ultima4Engine *g_ultima;
 
 Ultima4Engine::Ultima4Engine(OSystem *syst, const Ultima::UltimaGameDescription *gameDesc) :
-	Shared::UltimaEngine(syst, gameDesc), _config(nullptr), _game(nullptr),
-	_imageLoaders(nullptr), _screen(nullptr) {
+		Shared::UltimaEngine(syst, gameDesc), _saveSlotToLoad(-1), _config(nullptr), _game(nullptr),
+		_imageLoaders(nullptr), _screen(nullptr) {
 	g_ultima = this;
 	g_context = nullptr;
 	g_game = nullptr;
@@ -79,12 +79,13 @@ bool Ultima4Engine::initialize() {
 	_imageLoaders = new ImageLoaders();
 	_screen->init();
 
+	_saveSlotToLoad = ConfMan.hasKey("save_slot") ? ConfMan.getInt("save_slot") : -1;
+
 	return true;
 }
 
 void Ultima4Engine::startup() {
-	int saveSlot = ConfMan.hasKey("save_slot") ? ConfMan.getInt("save_slot") : -1;
-	bool skipInfo = saveSlot != -1;
+	bool skipInfo = _saveSlotToLoad != -1;
 
 	ProgressBar pb((320 / 2) - (200 / 2), (200 / 2), 200, 10, 0, (skipInfo ? 4 : 7));
 	pb.setBorderColor(240, 240, 240);
@@ -129,9 +130,8 @@ Common::Error Ultima4Engine::run() {
 		if (!shouldQuit()) {
 			g_game->init();
 
-			int saveSlot = ConfMan.hasKey("save_slot") ? ConfMan.getInt("save_slot") : -1;
-			if (saveSlot != -1) {
-				if (loadGameState(saveSlot).getCode() != Common::kNoError)
+			if (_saveSlotToLoad != -1) {
+				if (loadGameState(_saveSlotToLoad).getCode() != Common::kNoError)
 					error("Error loading save");
 			}
 
@@ -152,10 +152,26 @@ bool Ultima4Engine::isDataRequired(Common::String &folder, int &majorVersion, in
 	return true;
 }
 
+void Ultima4Engine::setToJourneyOnwards() {
+	_saveSlotToLoad = ConfMan.hasKey("last_save") ? ConfMan.getInt("last_save") : -1;
+	assert(_saveSlotToLoad);
+}
+
 bool Ultima4Engine::canSaveGameStateCurrently(bool isAutosave) {
 	return g_game != nullptr && g_context != nullptr && eventHandler->getController() == g_game;
 }
 
+Common::Error Ultima4Engine::saveGameState(int slot, const Common::String &desc, bool isAutosave) {
+	Common::Error result = Shared::UltimaEngine::saveGameState(slot, desc, isAutosave);
+	if (!isAutosave && result.getCode() == Common::kNoError) {
+		ConfMan.setInt("last_save", slot);
+		ConfMan.flushToDisk();
+	}
+
+	return result;
+}
+
+
 Common::Error Ultima4Engine::loadGameStream(Common::SeekableReadStream *stream) {
 	Common::Serializer ser(stream, nullptr);
 	g_context->_saveGame->synchronize(ser);
diff --git a/engines/ultima/ultima4/ultima4.h b/engines/ultima/ultima4/ultima4.h
index 707407d3e8c..9db8b59af8f 100644
--- a/engines/ultima/ultima4/ultima4.h
+++ b/engines/ultima/ultima4/ultima4.h
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ class GameController;
 class Screen;
 
 class Ultima4Engine : public Shared::UltimaEngine {
+private:
+	int _saveSlotToLoad;
 private:
 	void startup();
 protected:
@@ -67,6 +69,15 @@ public:
 	 */
 	bool canSaveGameStateCurrently(bool isAutosave = false) override;
 
+	/**
+	 * Save a game state.
+	 * @param slot	the slot into which the savestate should be stored
+	 * @param desc	a description for the savestate, entered by the user
+	 * @param isAutosave	Expected to be true if an autosave is being created
+	 * @return returns kNoError on success, else an error code.
+	 */
+	Common::Error saveGameState(int slot, const Common::String &desc, bool isAutosave = false) override;
+
 	/**
 	 * Load a game state.
 	 * @param stream	the stream to load the savestate from
@@ -81,6 +92,12 @@ public:
 	 * @return returns kNoError on success, else an error code.
 	 */
 	Common::Error saveGameStream(Common::WriteStream *stream, bool isAutosave = false) override;
+
+	/**
+	 * Specifies to load the previous save as the actual game starts. Used by
+	 * the main menu when the Journey Onwards option is selected
+	 */
+	void setToJourneyOnwards();
 };
 
 extern Ultima4Engine *g_ultima;