To reproduce:
1) launch pl_editor (will loaded default page layout);
2) delete all elements in tree on the left side bar;
3) after deleting last element, in preview area will shown default page layout, but tree with elements are still empty.
4) save it to the file;
5) open the file - will loaded default page layout.
Application: kicad
Version: (2015-08-17 BZR 6097)-product release build
wxWidgets: Version 3.0.2 (debug,wchar_t,compiler with C++ ABI 1002,GCC 4.8.4,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
Platform: Linux 3.13.0-61-generic i686, 32 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Boost version: 1.54.0
USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
USE_FP_LIB_TABLE=HARD_CODED_ON
BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
Attached patch enables creation and use of an empty page layout file and also defaults the new page layout to be empty. This behavior seems more intuitive, the user can always navigate to and open the installed KiCad default in the template folder and save as if they wish to modify it.
If a page layout file is not specified in Eeschema/Pcbnew Page Settings then it defaults to the standard KiCad template as before.