diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/LyXFileDialog.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/LyXFileDialog.cpp
index bba57747d8..f00bbd61bf 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/LyXFileDialog.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/LyXFileDialog.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,13 @@ LyXFileDialog::LyXFileDialog(docstring const & t,
 	: QFileDialog(qApp->focusWidget(),
 		      toqstr(t), toqstr(p), toqstr(filters.as_string()))
 {
+	QString const path = toqstr(p);
+	QDir dir(path);
+	// FIXME: workaround for a bug in qt which makes LyX crash
+	// with hidden paths (bug 4513). Recheck with recent Qt versions.
+	if (path.contains("/."))
+		dir.setFilter(QDir::Hidden);
+	setDirectory(dir);
 	setWindowTitle(toqstr(t));
 
 	QList<QHBoxLayout *> layout = findChildren<QHBoxLayout *>();