diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 32958dd..d5aa18a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ require("persisted").setup({
   save_dir = vim.fn.expand(vim.fn.stdpath("data") .. "/sessions/"), -- directory where session files are saved
   silent = false, -- silent nvim message when sourcing session file
   use_git_branch = false, -- create session files based on the branch of a git enabled repository
+  default_branch = "main", -- the branch to load if a session file is not found for the current branch
   autosave = true, -- automatically save session files when exiting Neovim
   should_autosave = nil, -- function to determine if a session should be autosaved
   autoload = false, -- automatically load the session for the cwd on Neovim startup
@@ -186,9 +187,7 @@ require("persisted").setup({
 })
 ```
 
-> **Note**: If git branching is enabled on a non git enabled repo, then `main` will be used as the default branch
-
-If you switch branches in a repository, the plugin will try to load a session which corresponds to that branch. If it can't find one, then it will load the session from the `main` branch.
+> **Note**: If you initiate git in a repository which has an existing session file, you'll need to add it's branch name to the session name. To do this from within Neovim, use the `:Sessions` command, navigate to the session and press `<C-a>`.
 
 ### Autosaving
 
diff --git a/doc/persisted.nvim.txt b/doc/persisted.nvim.txt
index 96dc80f..3edee06 100644
--- a/doc/persisted.nvim.txt
+++ b/doc/persisted.nvim.txt
@@ -120,14 +120,14 @@ The plugin comes with a number of commands:
 
 TELESCOPE EXTENSION ~
 
-The Telescope extension may be opened via `:Telescope persisted`.
+The Telescope extension may be opened via `:Telescope persisted`. The available
+actions are:
 
-Once opened, the available keymaps are:
 
-
-- `<CR>` - Source the session file
+- `<CR>` - Open/source the session file
+- `<C-b>` - Add/update the git branch for the session file
+- `<C-c>` - Copy the session file
 - `<C-d>` - Delete the session file
-- `<C-a>` - Add/update a git branch to the session file
 
 
 GLOBAL VARIABLES ~
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ The plugin comes with the following defaults:
       allowed_dirs = nil, -- table of dirs that the plugin will auto-save and auto-load from
       ignored_dirs = nil, -- table of dirs that are ignored when auto-saving and auto-loading
       telescope = {
-        reset_prompt = true, -- Reset prompt after a telescope action?
+        reset_prompt = true, -- Reset the Telescope prompt after an action?
       },
     })
 <
diff --git a/lua/persisted/config.lua b/lua/persisted/config.lua
index 6014c25..e5b2984 100644
--- a/lua/persisted/config.lua
+++ b/lua/persisted/config.lua
@@ -3,8 +3,11 @@ local M = {}
 local defaults = {
   save_dir = vim.fn.expand(vim.fn.stdpath("data") .. "/sessions/"), -- directory where session files are saved
   silent = false, -- silent nvim message when sourcing session file
-  use_git_branch = false, -- create session files based on the branch of the git enabled repository
+
+  use_git_branch = false, -- create session files based on the branch of a git enabled repository
   branch_separator = "@@", -- string used to separate session directory name from branch name
+  default_branch = "main", -- the branch to load if a session file is not found for the current branch
+
   autosave = true, -- automatically save session files when exiting Neovim
   should_autosave = nil, -- function to determine if a session should be autosaved (resolve to a boolean)
 
@@ -17,6 +20,7 @@ local defaults = {
 
   telescope = {
     reset_prompt = true, -- Reset prompt after a telescope action?
+    --TODO: We should add a deprecation notice for the old API here
   },
 }
 
diff --git a/lua/persisted/init.lua b/lua/persisted/init.lua
index 6e61cd6..de46d6d 100644
--- a/lua/persisted/init.lua
+++ b/lua/persisted/init.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,19 @@ local config = require("persisted.config")
 local M = {}
 
 local e = vim.fn.fnameescape
-local default_branch = "main"
+
+---Escapes special characters before performing string substitution
+---@param str string
+---@param pattern string
+---@param replace string
+---@param n? integer
+---@return string
+---@return integer count
+local function escape_pattern(str, pattern, replace, n)
+  pattern = string.gsub(pattern, "[%(%)%.%+%-%*%?%[%]%^%$%%]", "%%%1") -- escape pattern
+  replace = string.gsub(replace, "[%%]", "%%%%") -- escape replacement
+  return string.gsub(str, pattern, replace, n)
+end
 
 ---Does the current working directory allow for the auto-saving and loading?
 ---@return boolean
@@ -14,6 +26,7 @@ local function allow_dir()
   if allowed_dirs == nil then
     return true
   end
+
   return utils.dirs_match(vim.fn.getcwd(), allowed_dirs)
 end
 
@@ -33,6 +46,7 @@ end
 ---@return string
 local function get_last()
   local sessions = vim.fn.glob(config.options.save_dir .. "*.vim", true, true)
+
   table.sort(sessions, function(a, b)
     return vim.loop.fs_stat(a).mtime.sec > vim.loop.fs_stat(b).mtime.sec
   end)
@@ -41,40 +55,57 @@ local function get_last()
 end
 
 ---Get the current Git branch
----@return string
+---@return string|nil
 function M.get_branch()
   if config.options.use_git_branch then
     vim.fn.system([[git rev-parse 2> /dev/null]])
+
     local git_enabled = (vim.v.shell_error == 0)
 
     if git_enabled then
-      local branch = vim.fn.systemlist([[git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null]])
+      local git_branch = vim.fn.systemlist([[git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null]])
+
       if vim.v.shell_error == 0 then
-        branch = config.options.branch_separator .. branch[1]:gsub("/", "%%")
+        local branch = config.options.branch_separator .. git_branch[1]:gsub("/", "%%")
         local branch_session = config.options.save_dir
           .. vim.fn.getcwd():gsub(utils.get_dir_pattern(), "%%")
           .. branch
           .. ".vim"
 
-        -- Try to load the session for the current branch and if not, use the value of default_branch
+        -- Try to load the session for the current branch
         if vim.fn.filereadable(branch_session) ~= 0 then
           return branch
         else
+          vim.api.nvim_echo({
+            { "[Persisted.nvim]\n", "Question" },
+            { "Could not load a session for branch " },
+            { git_branch[1] .. "\n", "WarningMsg" },
+            { "Trying to load a session for branch " },
+            { config.options.default_branch, "Title" },
+            { " ..." },
+          }, true, {})
+
           vim.g.persisted_branch_session = branch_session
-          return config.options.branch_separator .. default_branch
+          return config.options.branch_separator .. config.options.default_branch
         end
       end
     end
-  end
 
-  return config.options.branch_separator .. default_branch
+    -- -- INFO: This allows users who have `@@main` in their session name to load
+    -- -- repositories that are not git enabled
+    -- if config.options.use_old_branching then
+    --   return config.options.branch_separator .. config.options.default_branch
+    -- end
+  end
 end
 
 ---Get the current session for the current working directory and git branch
 ---@return string
 local function get_current()
   local name = vim.fn.getcwd():gsub(utils.get_dir_pattern(), "%%")
-  return config.options.save_dir .. name .. M.get_branch() .. ".vim"
+  local branch = M.get_branch()
+
+  return config.options.save_dir .. name .. (branch or "") .. ".vim"
 end
 
 ---Determine if a session for the current wording directory, exists
@@ -105,8 +136,10 @@ function M.load(opt)
   opt = opt or {}
   local session = opt.session or (opt.last and get_last() or get_current())
 
+  local session_exists = vim.fn.filereadable(session) ~= 0
+
   if session then
-    if vim.fn.filereadable(session) ~= 0 then
+    if session_exists then
       vim.g.persisting_session = config.options.follow_cwd and nil or session
       utils.load_session(session, config.options.silent)
     elseif type(config.options.on_autoload_no_session) == "function" then
@@ -114,6 +147,17 @@ function M.load(opt)
     end
   end
 
+  if session and not session_exists then
+    vim.api.nvim_echo({
+      { "[Persisted.nvim]\n", "Question" },
+      { "Could not find a session for " },
+      { vim.fn.getcwd() .. "\n", "WarningMsg" },
+      { "As per " },
+      { "https://github.com/olimorris/persisted.nvim/discussions/103", "WarningMsg" },
+      { " you may need to remove the branch from the name" },
+    }, true, {})
+  end
+
   if config.options.autosave and (allow_dir() and not ignore_dir()) then
     M.start()
   end
@@ -212,19 +256,6 @@ function M.toggle()
   return M.start()
 end
 
----Escapes special characters before performing string substitution
----@param str string
----@param pattern string
----@param replace string
----@param n? integer
----@return string
----@return integer count
-local function escape_pattern(str, pattern, replace, n)
-  pattern = string.gsub(pattern, "[%(%)%.%+%-%*%?%[%]%^%$%%]", "%%%1") -- escape pattern
-  replace = string.gsub(replace, "[%%]", "%%%%") -- escape replacement
-  return string.gsub(str, pattern, replace, n)
-end
-
 ---List all of the sessions
 ---@return table
 function M.list()
@@ -265,6 +296,7 @@ function M.list()
       ["dir_path"] = dir_path,
     })
   end
+
   return sessions
 end