diff --git a/rtgui/cachemanager.cc b/rtgui/cachemanager.cc
index 17ac566ba..a7029951a 100644
--- a/rtgui/cachemanager.cc
+++ b/rtgui/cachemanager.cc
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ void CacheManager::deleteDir (const Glib::ustring& dirName) {
 std::string CacheManager::getMD5 (const Glib::ustring& fname) {
 
     Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> file = Gio::File::create_for_path (fname);
-    if (file)	{
+    if (file && file->query_exists())	{
         Glib::RefPtr<Gio::FileInfo> info = safe_query_file_info (file);
         if (info)
             return Glib::Checksum::compute_checksum (Glib::Checksum::CHECKSUM_MD5, Glib::ustring::compose ("%1%2", fname, info->get_size()));
diff --git a/rtgui/dirbrowser.cc b/rtgui/dirbrowser.cc
index 905b9b545..2e6c9f3ff 100644
--- a/rtgui/dirbrowser.cc
+++ b/rtgui/dirbrowser.cc
@@ -265,7 +265,6 @@ void DirBrowser::addDir (const Gtk::TreeModel::iterator& iter, const Glib::ustri
     child->set_value (1, closedfolder);
     Glib::ustring fullname = Glib::build_filename (iter->get_value (dtColumns.dirname), dirname);
     child->set_value (dtColumns.dirname, fullname);
-    Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> f = Gio::File::create_for_path (fullname);
     Gtk::TreeModel::iterator fooRow = dirTreeModel->append(child->children());
     fooRow->set_value (dtColumns.filename, Glib::ustring("foo"));
 }
@@ -339,7 +338,11 @@ void DirBrowser::open (const Glib::ustring& dirname, const Glib::ustring& fileNa
   
     dirtree->collapse_all ();
 
-    Glib::ustring absDirPath = Gio::File::create_for_path(dirname)->get_parse_name ();
+
+    Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> dir = Gio::File::create_for_path(dirname);
+    if( !dir->query_exists())
+    	return;
+    Glib::ustring absDirPath = dir->get_parse_name ();
     Gtk::TreePath path = expandToDir (absDirPath);
 	dirtree->scroll_to_row (path);
 	dirtree->get_selection()->select (path);
diff --git a/rtgui/filecatalog.cc b/rtgui/filecatalog.cc
index cd834ad00..c378c4016 100644
--- a/rtgui/filecatalog.cc
+++ b/rtgui/filecatalog.cc
@@ -792,8 +792,10 @@ void FileCatalog::on_dir_changed (const Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File>& file, const Gli
 
 void FileCatalog::checkAndAddFile (Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> file) {
 
-    if (!file)
+    if (!file )
         return;
+    if( !file->query_exists())
+    	return;
     Glib::RefPtr<Gio::FileInfo> info = safe_query_file_info(file);
     if (info && info->get_file_type() != Gio::FILE_TYPE_DIRECTORY && (!info->is_hidden() || !options.fbShowHidden)) {
         int lastdot = info->get_name().find_last_of ('.');
@@ -807,8 +809,10 @@ void FileCatalog::checkAndAddFile (Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> file) {
 void FileCatalog::addAndOpenFile (const Glib::ustring& fname) {
 
     Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> file = Gio::File::create_for_path (fname);
-    if (!file)
+    if (!file )
         return;
+    if( !file->query_exists())
+    	return;
     Glib::RefPtr<Gio::FileInfo> info = safe_query_file_info(file);
     if( !info )
     	return;
diff --git a/rtgui/placesbrowser.cc b/rtgui/placesbrowser.cc
index b43e0134e..58c8a48f5 100644
--- a/rtgui/placesbrowser.cc
+++ b/rtgui/placesbrowser.cc
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ void PlacesBrowser::refreshPlacesList () {
    
     // append home directory
     Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> hfile = Gio::File::create_for_path (Glib::get_home_dir ());
-    if (hfile) {
+    if (hfile && hfile->query_exists()) {
       try { 
         Glib::RefPtr<Gio::FileInfo> info = safe_query_file_info (hfile);
         if (info) {
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void PlacesBrowser::refreshPlacesList () {
 
     // append pictures directory
     hfile = Gio::File::create_for_path (Glib::get_user_special_dir (G_USER_DIRECTORY_PICTURES));
-    if (hfile) {
+    if (hfile && hfile->query_exists()) {
       try { 
         Glib::RefPtr<Gio::FileInfo> info = safe_query_file_info (hfile);
         if (info) {
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ void PlacesBrowser::refreshPlacesList () {
     }
     for (int i=0; i<options.favoriteDirs.size(); i++) {
         Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> hfile = Gio::File::create_for_path (options.favoriteDirs[i]);
-        if (hfile) {
+        if (hfile && hfile->query_exists()) {
             Glib::RefPtr<Gio::FileInfo> info = safe_query_file_info (hfile);
             if (info) {
                 Gtk::TreeModel::Row newrow = *(placesModel->append());
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ void PlacesBrowser::addPressed () {
 
     // append
     Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> hfile = Gio::File::create_for_path (lastSelectedDir);
-    if (hfile) {
+    if (hfile && hfile->query_exists()) {
         Glib::RefPtr<Gio::FileInfo> info = safe_query_file_info (hfile);
         if (info) {
             options.favoriteDirs.push_back (hfile->get_parse_name ());