diff --git a/src/app/file_selector.cpp b/src/app/file_selector.cpp
index 21adf712e..31ea9ebcd 100644
--- a/src/app/file_selector.cpp
+++ b/src/app/file_selector.cpp
@@ -125,11 +125,9 @@ std::string get_initial_path_to_select_filename(const std::string& initialFilena
 std::string get_current_dir_for_file_selector()
 {
   std::string path = Preferences::instance().fileSelector.currentFolder();
-  // If it's empty or the folder doesn't exist anymore, starts from
-  // the docs folder by default.
-  if (path.empty() ||
-      path == "<empty>" ||
-      !base::is_directory(path)) {
+  // "<empty>" is the default value for this property, to start from
+  // the user docs folder by default.
+  if (path == "<empty>") {
     path = base::get_user_docs_folder();
   }
   return path;
diff --git a/src/app/ui/file_selector.cpp b/src/app/ui/file_selector.cpp
index 2d7151688..b7bd67cbb 100644
--- a/src/app/ui/file_selector.cpp
+++ b/src/app/ui/file_selector.cpp
@@ -411,10 +411,20 @@ bool FileSelector::show(
   fs->refresh();
 
   // We have to find where the user should begin to browse files
-  std::string start_folder_path =
-    base::get_file_path(get_initial_path_to_select_filename(initialPath));
-  IFileItem* start_folder = fs->getFileItemFromPath(start_folder_path);
+  std::string start_folder_path;
+  if (initialPath.empty()) {
+    start_folder_path = get_initial_path_to_select_filename(initialPath);
+  }
+  else {
+    start_folder_path = base::get_file_path(initialPath);
+  }
 
+  IFileItem* start_folder = fs->getFileItemFromPath(start_folder_path);
+  if (!start_folder) {
+    // If the directory doesn't exist anymore, get the default FS item
+    // (root item, or user folder).
+    start_folder = fs->getFileItemFromPath(std::string());
+  }
   FILESEL_TRACE("FILESEL: Start folder '%s' (%p)\n", start_folder_path.c_str(), start_folder);
 
   {