diff --git a/openvpn_config.c b/openvpn_config.c
index a57c42a..f319cc0 100644
--- a/openvpn_config.c
+++ b/openvpn_config.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #include <windows.h>
+#include <assert.h>
 
 #include "main.h"
 #include "openvpn-gui-res.h"
@@ -438,6 +439,8 @@ BuildFileList()
     }
     /* else these parent groups use their saved values */
 
+    assert (&o.groups[persistent_gp] == PERSISTENT_ROOT_GROUP); /* sanity check */
+
     if (issue_warnings)
     {
         flags |= FLAG_WARN_DUPLICATES | FLAG_WARN_MAX_CONFIGS;
@@ -470,11 +473,7 @@ BuildFileList()
         o.num_configs = max_configs; /* management-port cant handle more -- ignore the rest */
     }
 
-    /* if adding groups, activate non-empty ones */
-    if (flags &FLAG_ADD_CONFIG_GROUPS)
-    {
-        ActivateConfigGroups();
-    }
+    ActivateConfigGroups();
 
     issue_warnings = false;
 }
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index 8910566..ab4bcbd 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ typedef struct config_group {
 /* short hand for pointer to the group a config belongs to */
 #define CONFIG_GROUP(c) (&o.groups[(c)->group])
 #define PARENT_GROUP(cg) ((cg)->parent < 0 ? NULL : &o.groups[(cg)->parent])
+#define PERSISTENT_ROOT_GROUP (&o.groups[1])
 
 /* Connections parameters */
 struct connection {
diff --git a/tray.c b/tray.c
index ff05bde..d79f21e 100644
--- a/tray.c
+++ b/tray.c
@@ -218,22 +218,25 @@ CreatePopupMenus()
     }
     else {
         /* construct the submenu tree first */
-        if (USE_NESTED_CONFIG_MENU)
+        /* i = 0 is the root menu and has no parent */
+        for (int i = 1; i < o.num_groups; i++)
         {
-            /* i = 0 is the root menu and has no parent */
-            for (int i = 1; i < o.num_groups; i++)
+            config_group_t *this = &o.groups[i];
+            config_group_t *parent = PARENT_GROUP(this);
+
+            /* Root group of persistent connections is always displayed if active.
+             * Add the rest only if (USE_NESTED_CONFIG_MENU)
+             */
+            if (!this->active || !parent
+                || (this != PERSISTENT_ROOT_GROUP && !USE_NESTED_CONFIG_MENU))
             {
-                config_group_t *this = &o.groups[i];
-                config_group_t *parent = PARENT_GROUP(this);
-
-                if (!this->active || !parent)
-                    continue;
-                AppendMenu(parent->menu, MF_POPUP, (UINT_PTR) this->menu, this->name);
-                this->pos = parent->children++;
-
-                PrintDebug(L"Submenu %d named %ls added to parent %ls with position %d",
-                        i, this->name, parent->name, this->pos);
+                continue;
             }
+            AppendMenu(parent->menu, MF_POPUP, (UINT_PTR) this->menu, this->name);
+            this->pos = parent->children++;
+
+            PrintDebug(L"Submenu %d named %ls added to parent %ls with position %d",
+                    i, this->name, parent->name, this->pos);
         }
 
         /* add config file (connection) entries */
@@ -246,6 +249,11 @@ CreatePopupMenus()
             {
                 parent = CONFIG_GROUP(c);
             }
+            else if (c->flags & FLAG_DAEMON_PERSISTENT)
+            {
+                /* Persistent connections always displayed under a submenu */
+                parent = PERSISTENT_ROOT_GROUP;
+            }
             assert(parent);
 
             /* Add config to the current sub menu */
@@ -554,7 +562,13 @@ SetMenuStatusById(int i, conn_state_t state)
         int pos = c->pos;
 
         if (USE_NESTED_CONFIG_MENU && CONFIG_GROUP(c))
+        {
             parent = CONFIG_GROUP(c);
+        }
+        else if (c->flags & FLAG_DAEMON_PERSISTENT)
+        {
+            parent = PERSISTENT_ROOT_GROUP;
+        }
 
         if (checked == 1)
         {