diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 997a173a4..2b9cb3695 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@
 	* gdk/win32/gdkinput-win32.c: Fetch the device and cursor names in
 	Unicode, and convert to UTF-8 for the GdkDevice's name field.
 
+2008-07-03  Matthias Clasen  <mclasen@redhat.com>
+
+	Bug 538863 – Fixes assertion on entering empty folder
+
+	* gtk/gtkfilechooserdefault.c (browse_files_select_first_row): Don't
+	select the first row if the folder is empty.
+	Patch by Olle Bergkvist.
+
 2008-07-03  Matthias Clasen  <mclasen@redhat.com>
 
 	Bug 540915 – GtkBuilder sets properties in reverse order
diff --git a/gtk/gtkfilechooserdefault.c b/gtk/gtkfilechooserdefault.c
index ce575eae6..458bdee71 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkfilechooserdefault.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkfilechooserdefault.c
@@ -6285,12 +6285,19 @@ static void
 browse_files_select_first_row (GtkFileChooserDefault *impl)
 {
   GtkTreePath *path;
+  GtkTreeIter dummy_iter;
+  GtkTreeModel *tree_model;
 
   if (!impl->sort_model)
     return;
 
   path = gtk_tree_path_new_from_indices (0, -1);
-  gtk_tree_view_set_cursor (GTK_TREE_VIEW (impl->browse_files_tree_view), path, NULL, FALSE);
+  tree_model = gtk_tree_view_get_model (GTK_TREE_VIEW (impl->browse_files_tree_view));
+
+  /* If the list is empty, do nothing. */
+  if (gtk_tree_model_get_iter (tree_model, &dummy_iter, path))
+      gtk_tree_view_set_cursor (GTK_TREE_VIEW (impl->browse_files_tree_view), path, NULL, FALSE);
+
   gtk_tree_path_free (path);
 }