diff --git a/pyqtgraph/dockarea/DockArea.py b/pyqtgraph/dockarea/DockArea.py
index 560495ce..a55d6bb0 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/dockarea/DockArea.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/dockarea/DockArea.py
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ class DockArea(Container, QtGui.QWidget, DockDrop):
                 childs.append(self.childState(obj.widget(i)))
             return (obj.type(), childs, obj.saveState())
         
-    def restoreState(self, state, missing='error'):
+    def restoreState(self, state, missing='error', extra='bottom'):
         """
         Restore Dock configuration as generated by saveState.
         
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ class DockArea(Container, QtGui.QWidget, DockDrop):
         By default, docks that are described in *state* but do not exist
         in the dock area will cause an exception to be raised. This behavior
         can be changed by setting *missing* to 'ignore' or 'create'.
+        
+        Extra docks that are in the dockarea but that are not mentioned in
+        *state* will be added to the bottom of the dockarea, unless otherwise
+        specified by the *extra* argument.
         """
         
         ## 1) make dict of all docks and list of existing containers
@@ -238,9 +242,11 @@ class DockArea(Container, QtGui.QWidget, DockDrop):
         
         ## 4) Add any remaining docks to a float
         for d in docks.values():
-            a = self.addTempArea()
-            a.addDock(d, 'below')
-            # self.moveDock(d, 'below', None)
+            if extra == 'float':
+                a = self.addTempArea()
+                a.addDock(d, 'below')
+            else:
+                self.moveDock(d, extra, None)
         
         #print "\nKill old containers:"
         ## 5) kill old containers