diff --git a/PyLoT.py b/PyLoT.py
index 55a22762..d186016b 100755
--- a/PyLoT.py
+++ b/PyLoT.py
@@ -2866,10 +2866,7 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         event.pylot_autopicks = {}
         picksdict = picksdict_from_picks(evt=self.get_data().get_evt_data())
         event.addPicks(picksdict['manual'])
-        if picksdict['auto'] == {}:
-            event.addAutopicks(picksdict)
-        else:
-            event.addAutopicks(picksdict['auto'])
+        event.addAutopicks(picksdict['auto'])
 
 
     def drawPicks(self, station=None, picktype=None, stime=None):
diff --git a/pylot/core/io/data.py b/pylot/core/io/data.py
index 3a9fc19e..122459c6 100644
--- a/pylot/core/io/data.py
+++ b/pylot/core/io/data.py
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ class Data(object):
 
     def replacePicks(self, event, picktype):
         """
-        Replace own picks with the one in event
+        Replace picks in event with own picks
         :param event: Event that supplies information for comparison
         :type event: pylot.core.util.event.Event
         :param picktype: 'auto' or 'manual' picks
@@ -228,20 +228,23 @@ class Data(object):
         :return:
         :rtype: None
         """
-        checkflag = 0
+        checkflag = 1
         picks = event.picks
         # remove existing picks
         for j, pick in reversed(list(enumerate(picks))):
             try:
                 if picktype in str(pick.method_id.id):
                     picks.pop(j)
-                    checkflag = 1
+                    checkflag = 2
             except AttributeError as e:
                 msg = '{}'.format(e)
                 print(e)
                 checkflag = 0
-        if checkflag:
-            print("Found %s pick(s), remove them and append new picks to catalog." % picktype)
+        if checkflag > 0:
+            if checkflag == 1:
+                print("Write new %s picks to catalog." % picktype)
+            if checkflag == 2:
+                print("Found %s pick(s), remove them and append new picks to catalog." % picktype)
 
             # append new picks
             for pick in self.get_evt_data().picks:
@@ -269,8 +272,11 @@ class Data(object):
             raise FormatError(errmsg)
 
         if hasattr(self.get_evt_data(), 'notes'):
-            with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(fnout), 'notes.txt'), 'w') as notes_file:
-                notes_file.write(self.get_evt_data().notes)
+            try:
+                with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(fnout), 'notes.txt'), 'w') as notes_file:
+                    notes_file.write(self.get_evt_data().notes)
+            except Exception as e:
+                print('Warning: Could not save notes.txt: ', str(e))
 
         # check for already existing xml-file
         if fnext == '.xml':
@@ -537,7 +543,7 @@ class Data(object):
     def setEvtData(self, event):
         self.evtdata = event
 
-    def applyEVTData(self, data, typ='pick', authority_id='rub'):
+    def applyEVTData(self, data, typ='pick'):
         """
         Either takes an `obspy.core.event.Event` object and applies all new
         information on the event to the actual data if typ is 'event or
diff --git a/pylot/core/io/phases.py b/pylot/core/io/phases.py
index 8e902677..a6329697 100644
--- a/pylot/core/io/phases.py
+++ b/pylot/core/io/phases.py
@@ -244,13 +244,13 @@ def picksdict_from_picks(evt):
         else:
             filter_id = None
         try:
-            picker = str(pick.method_id)
-            if picker.startswith('smi:local/'):
-                picker = picker.split('smi:local/')[1]
+            pick_method = str(pick.method_id)
+            if pick_method.startswith('smi:local/'):
+                pick_method = pick_method.split('smi:local/')[1]
         except IndexError:
-            picker = 'manual'  # MP MP TODO maybe improve statement
-        if picker == 'None':
-            picker = 'manual'
+            pick_method = 'manual'  # MP MP TODO maybe improve statement
+        if pick_method == 'None':
+            pick_method = 'manual'
         try:
             #onsets = picksdict[picker][station]
             onsets = picksdict[station]
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ def picksdict_from_picks(evt):
             phase['weight'] = weight
         phase['channel'] = channel
         phase['network'] = network
-        phase['picker'] = picker
+        phase['picker'] = pick_method
         try:
             if pick.polarity == 'positive':
                 phase['fm'] = 'U'
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ def picksdict_from_picks(evt):
         phase['filter_id'] = filter_id if filter_id is not None else ''
 
         onsets[pick.phase_hint] = phase.copy()
-        picksdict[station] = onsets.copy()
+        picksdict[pick_method][station] = onsets.copy()
     return picksdict