diff --git a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyProjectComponent.java b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyProjectComponent.java
index 16aa194a1ba4..860f4d4a1941 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyProjectComponent.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyProjectComponent.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package com.jetbrains.edu.learning;
 
 import com.intellij.ide.ui.UISettings;
+import com.intellij.ide.util.PropertiesComponent;
 import com.intellij.notification.Notification;
 import com.intellij.notification.NotificationListener;
 import com.intellij.notification.NotificationType;
@@ -21,7 +22,6 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.module.ModuleManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.progress.ProgressManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.DumbAwareRunnable;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project;
-import com.intellij.openapi.project.ProjectManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.startup.StartupManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.Pair;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.io.FileUtil;
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 
 import static com.jetbrains.edu.learning.StudyUtils.execCancelable;
 import static com.jetbrains.edu.learning.StudyUtils.navigateToStep;
+import static com.jetbrains.edu.learning.stepic.EduStepicNames.STEP_ID;
 
 
 public class StudyProjectComponent implements ProjectComponent {
@@ -111,12 +112,7 @@ public class StudyProjectComponent implements ProjectComponent {
 
   private void selectStep() {
     StartupManager.getInstance(myProject).runWhenProjectIsInitialized(() -> {
-      Project defaultProject = ProjectManager.getInstance().getDefaultProject();
-      if (myProject == defaultProject) {
-        return;
-      }
-      StudyTaskManager defaultTaskManager = StudyTaskManager.getInstance(defaultProject);
-      int stepId = defaultTaskManager.getStepId();
+      int stepId = PropertiesComponent.getInstance().getInt(STEP_ID, 0);
 
       if (stepId != 0) {
         StudyTaskManager taskManager = StudyTaskManager.getInstance(myProject);
@@ -124,7 +120,6 @@ public class StudyProjectComponent implements ProjectComponent {
         if (course != null) {
 
           navigateToStep(myProject, course, stepId);
-          defaultTaskManager.setStepId(0);
         }
       }
     });
diff --git a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyTaskManager.java b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyTaskManager.java
index 210dd11c6a87..9fe00e9759d3 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyTaskManager.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyTaskManager.java
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ public class StudyTaskManager implements PersistentStateComponent<Element>, Dumb
   private boolean myTurnEditingMode = false;
 
   @Transient private final Project myProject;
-  @Transient private int myStepId;
 
   public StudyTaskManager(Project project) {
     myProject = project;
@@ -257,11 +256,4 @@ public class StudyTaskManager implements PersistentStateComponent<Element>, Dumb
     myTurnEditingMode = turnEditingMode;
   }
 
-  public void setStepId(int stepId) {
-    myStepId = stepId;
-  }
-
-  public int getStepId() {
-    return myStepId;
-  }
 }
diff --git a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/builtInServer/EduBuiltInServerUtils.java b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/builtInServer/EduBuiltInServerUtils.java
index 32408c5262ae..a79f1a15a279 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/builtInServer/EduBuiltInServerUtils.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/builtInServer/EduBuiltInServerUtils.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package com.jetbrains.edu.learning.builtInServer;
 
 import com.intellij.ide.RecentProjectsManagerBase;
 import com.intellij.ide.impl.ProjectUtil;
+import com.intellij.ide.util.PropertiesComponent;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuard;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project;
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 import static com.jetbrains.edu.learning.StudyUtils.navigateToStep;
 import static com.jetbrains.edu.learning.core.EduNames.STUDY_PROJECT_XML_PATH;
+import static com.jetbrains.edu.learning.stepic.EduStepicNames.STEP_ID;
 
 public class EduBuiltInServerUtils {
   public static boolean focusOpenProject(int courseId, int stepId) {
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@ public class EduBuiltInServerUtils {
       int courseId = getCourseId(taskManager, component);
 
       if (courseId == targetCourseId) {
-        taskManager.setStepId(stepId);
+        PropertiesComponent.getInstance().setValue(STEP_ID, stepId, 0);
         Project project = openProject(projectPath);
         if (project != null) {
           return true;
@@ -146,7 +148,7 @@ public class EduBuiltInServerUtils {
 
   public static boolean createProject(int courseId, int stepId) {
     ApplicationManager.getApplication().invokeLater(() -> {
-      getDefaultTaskManager().setStepId(stepId);
+      PropertiesComponent.getInstance().setValue(STEP_ID, stepId, 0);
       EduCreateNewProjectDialog createNewProjectDlg = new EduCreateNewStepikProjectDialog(courseId);
       createNewProjectDlg.show();
     });