diff --git a/workflow/qhtcp-workflow b/workflow/qhtcp-workflow
index 96aacce6..be6405ed 100755
--- a/workflow/qhtcp-workflow
+++ b/workflow/qhtcp-workflow
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ ask() {
 err() { echo "Error: $*" >&2; }
 ask_pn() {
   unset PROJECT
-  declare -g PROJECT
+  declare -ag ADD_PROJECTS
   example_pn="${PROJECT_PREFIX}_$(random_words 3)"
   cat <<-EOF
 		Enter a new or existing project name
@@ -231,17 +231,22 @@ ask_pn() {
 	EOF
   trys=3 # give the user up to 3 tries to enter a valid project name
   for ((i=1; i<=trys; i++)); do 
-    read -r -p "Enter a new or existing project name or enter for default ($example_pn): " PROJECT
-    if [[ -z $PROJECT ]]; then
-      PROJECT="$example_pn" && break
+    read -r -p "Enter a new or existing project name or enter for default ($example_pn): " response
+    if [[ -z $response ]]; then
+      ADD_PROJECTS+=("$example_pn")
+      break
     else
-      sanitize_pn "$PROJECT" && break
-      err "Invalid project name: $PROJECT"
-      echo "Retrying ($i of $trys)"
+      if sanitize_pn "$response"; then
+        ADD_PROJECTS+=("$response")
+        echo "$response successfully added as a project"
+        i=1 # resetting trys counter in case user wants to add more than 3 projects 
+      else
+        err "Invalid project name: $response"
+        echo "Retrying ($i of $trys)"
+      fi
     fi
   done
-  [[ -z $PROJECT ]] && exit 1 # TODO eventually switch to return, but treat as fatal for now
-  echo "Using project name: $PROJECT"
+  [[ -z ${ADD_PROJECTS[*]} ]]
 }
 debug() { (( DEBUG )) && echo "Debug: $*"; }
 # Not super portable but nice to have
@@ -329,6 +334,8 @@ print_header() {
   if [[ -z ${PROJECTS[*]} ]]; then
     num=$((${#projects[@]}))
     echo "Enter project #'s to run (comma delimited)"
+    read -r -p "Or hit enter to add a new project" response
+    [[ -z $response ]] && ask_pn && PROJECTS+=("${ADD_PROJECTS[@]}")
     ((YES)) || read -r -p "Hit enter for default ($num): " response
     [[ -z $response ]] && response=$num
     IFS=',' read -ra arr <<< "$response"
@@ -338,7 +345,6 @@ print_header() {
     unset response arr i
   fi
 
-
   if [[ -z ${MODULES[*]} && -z ${INCLUDE_MODULES[*]} && -z ${EXCLUDE_MODULES[*]} ]]; then
     echo "Enter module #'s to run (by #, comma delimited)"
     ((YES)) || read -r -p "Hit enter for default (ALL): " response
@@ -1651,16 +1657,16 @@ main() {
 
   print_header "$@"
 
-  # Prompt user for the PROJECT if we still don't have one
-  if [[ ${#PROJECTS[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
-    ask_pn && PROJECTS+=("$PROJECT")
-  fi
+  # # Prompt user for the PROJECT if we still don't have one
+  # if [[ ${#PROJECTS[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
+  #   ask_pn && PROJECTS+=("${ADD_PROJECTS[@]}")
+  # fi
   
   for i in "${!PROJECTS[@]}"; do
     if ! sanitize_pn "${PROJECTS[i]}"; then
       echo "Project name ${PROJECTS[i]} is invalid"
       echo "Enter a replacement"
-      ask_pn && PROJECTS[i]="$PROJECT"
+      ask_pn && unset "PROJECTS[i]" && PROJECTS+=("${ADD_PROJECTS[@]}")
     fi
   done