diff --git a/docs/changelog.txt b/docs/changelog.txt
index 0670232a5..85e94786f 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog.txt
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ Template for new versions:
 
 ## Misc Improvements
 - wherever units are listed in DFHack tools, properties like "agitated" or (-trained-) are now shown
+- `work-now`: now saves its enabled status with the fort
 
 ## Documentation
 
diff --git a/plugins/work-now.cpp b/plugins/work-now.cpp
index bce2d9a73..ab6bd3b7d 100644
--- a/plugins/work-now.cpp
+++ b/plugins/work-now.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 #include "PluginManager.h"
 
 #include "modules/EventManager.h"
+#include "modules/Persistence.h"
+#include "modules/World.h"
 
 using std::string;
 using std::vector;
@@ -9,6 +11,7 @@ using namespace DFHack;
 
 DFHACK_PLUGIN("work-now");
 DFHACK_PLUGIN_IS_ENABLED(is_enabled);
+
 REQUIRE_GLOBAL(process_jobs);
 REQUIRE_GLOBAL(process_dig);
 
@@ -16,7 +19,30 @@ namespace DFHack {
     DBG_DECLARE(worknow, log, DebugCategory::LINFO);
 }
 
-DFhackCExport command_result work_now(color_ostream& out, vector<string>& parameters);
+static const string CONFIG_KEY = string(plugin_name) + "/config";
+static PersistentDataItem config;
+
+enum ConfigValues {
+    CONFIG_IS_ENABLED = 0,
+};
+
+static int get_config_val(PersistentDataItem &c, int index) {
+    if (!c.isValid())
+        return -1;
+    return c.ival(index);
+}
+static bool get_config_bool(PersistentDataItem &c, int index) {
+    return get_config_val(c, index) == 1;
+}
+static void set_config_val(PersistentDataItem &c, int index, int value) {
+    if (c.isValid())
+        c.ival(index) = value;
+}
+static void set_config_bool(PersistentDataItem &c, int index, bool value) {
+    set_config_val(c, index, value ? 1 : 0);
+}
+
+static command_result work_now(color_ostream& out, vector<string>& parameters);
 
 static void jobCompletedHandler(color_ostream& out, void* ptr);
 EventManager::EventHandler handler(jobCompletedHandler,1);
@@ -30,35 +56,76 @@ DFhackCExport command_result plugin_init(color_ostream& out, std::vector<PluginC
     return CR_OK;
 }
 
+static void cleanup() {
+    EventManager::unregister(EventManager::EventType::JOB_COMPLETED, handler, plugin_self);
+}
+
 DFhackCExport command_result plugin_enable(color_ostream &out, bool enable) {
-    if (enable != is_enabled)
-    {
+    if (!Core::getInstance().isWorldLoaded()) {
+        out.printerr("Cannot enable %s without a loaded world.\n", plugin_name);
+        return CR_FAILURE;
+    }
+
+    if (enable != is_enabled) {
+        is_enabled = enable;
+        DEBUG(log,out).print("%s from the API; persisting\n",
+                                is_enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled");
+        set_config_bool(config, CONFIG_IS_ENABLED, is_enabled);
         if (enable)
             EventManager::registerListener(EventManager::EventType::JOB_COMPLETED, handler, plugin_self);
         else
-            EventManager::unregister(EventManager::EventType::JOB_COMPLETED, handler, plugin_self);
-
-        is_enabled = enable;
+            cleanup();
+    } else {
+        DEBUG(log,out).print("%s from the API, but already %s; no action\n",
+                                is_enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled",
+                                is_enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled");
     }
 
     return CR_OK;
 }
 
 DFhackCExport command_result plugin_shutdown ( color_ostream &out ) {
-    return plugin_enable(out, false);
+    cleanup();
+    return CR_OK;
+}
+
+DFhackCExport command_result plugin_load_data (color_ostream &out) {
+    config = World::GetPersistentData(CONFIG_KEY);
+
+    if (!config.isValid()) {
+        DEBUG(log,out).print("no config found in this save; initializing\n");
+        config = World::AddPersistentData(CONFIG_KEY);
+        set_config_bool(config, CONFIG_IS_ENABLED, is_enabled);
+    }
+
+    is_enabled = get_config_bool(config, CONFIG_IS_ENABLED);
+    DEBUG(log,out).print("loading persisted enabled state: %s\n",
+                            is_enabled ? "true" : "false");
+
+    return CR_OK;
+}
+
+static void poke_idlers() {
+    *process_jobs = true;
+    *process_dig  = true;
 }
 
 DFhackCExport command_result plugin_onstatechange(color_ostream &out, state_change_event e) {
     if (e == SC_PAUSED) {
         DEBUG(log,out).print("game paused; poking idlers\n");
-        *process_jobs = true;
-        *process_dig  = true;
+        poke_idlers();
+    } else if (e == DFHack::SC_WORLD_UNLOADED) {
+        if (is_enabled) {
+            DEBUG(log,out).print("world unloaded; disabling %s\n",
+                                    plugin_name);
+            is_enabled = false;
+        }
     }
 
     return CR_OK;
 }
 
-DFhackCExport command_result work_now(color_ostream& out, vector<string>& parameters) {
+static command_result work_now(color_ostream& out, vector<string>& parameters) {
     if (parameters.empty() || parameters[0] == "status") {
         out.print("work_now is %sactively poking idle dwarves.\n", is_enabled ? "" : "not ");
         return CR_OK;
@@ -69,6 +136,5 @@ DFhackCExport command_result work_now(color_ostream& out, vector<string>& parame
 
 static void jobCompletedHandler(color_ostream& out, void* ptr) {
     DEBUG(log,out).print("job completed; poking idlers\n");
-    *process_jobs = true;
-    *process_dig = true;
+    poke_idlers();
 }