diff --git a/src/browser.c b/src/browser.c
index 7fda929..2f2c49a 100644
--- a/src/browser.c
+++ b/src/browser.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static size_t selected = 0;
  * start browsing from. */
 char *do_browser(char *path)
 {
-    char *retval = NULL;
+    char *retval = NULL, *newpath = NULL;
     int kbinput;
     char *present_name = NULL;
 	/* The name of the currently selected file, or of the directory we
@@ -75,17 +75,40 @@ char *do_browser(char *path)
     /* Start with no key pressed. */
     kbinput = ERR;
 
-    path = mallocstrassn(path, get_full_path(path));
+    if (newpath == NULL)
+	path = mallocstrassn(path, get_full_path(path));
+    else {
+	path = mallocstrassn(path, get_full_path(newpath));
+
+	if (path == NULL) {
+	    statusline(ALERT, "Directory is inaccessible");
+	    path = mallocstrcpy(NULL, present_path);
+
+	    /* Update present name to maintain selection, since we will
+	     * reenter current working directory. */
+	    present_name = mallocstrcpy(present_name, newpath);
+	} else if (strcmp(tail(newpath), "..") == 0)
+	    /* We moved up a level -- remember where we came from, so
+	     * this directory can be highlighted and easily reentered. */
+	    present_name = striponedir(newpath);
+
+	newpath = NULL;
+
+	dir = opendir(path);
+    }
 
     /* Save the current path in order to be used later. */
     present_path = mallocstrcpy(present_path, path);
 
     assert(path != NULL && path[strlen(path) - 1] == '/');
 
-    /* Get the file list, and set longest and width in the process. */
-    read_the_list(path, dir);
-
-    closedir(dir);
+    if (dir == NULL)
+	statusline(ALERT, _("Error reading %s: %s"), path, strerror(errno));
+    else {
+	/* Get the file list, and set longest and width in the process. */
+	read_the_list(path, dir);
+	closedir(dir);
+    }
 
     /* If given, reselect the present_name and then discard it. */
     if (present_name != NULL) {
@@ -323,22 +346,8 @@ char *do_browser(char *path)
 		break;
 	    }
 
-	    dir = opendir(filelist[selected]);
-
-	    if (dir == NULL) {
-		statusline(ALERT, _("Error reading %s: %s"),
-				filelist[selected], strerror(errno));
-		continue;
-	    }
-
-	    /* If we moved up one level, remember where we came from, so
-	     * this directory can be highlighted and easily reentered. */
-	    if (strcmp(tail(filelist[selected]), "..") == 0)
-		present_name = striponedir(filelist[selected]);
-
-	    path = mallocstrcpy(path, filelist[selected]);
-
-	    /* Start over again with the new path value. */
+	    /* Try opening and reading the selected directory. */
+	    newpath = filelist[selected];
 	    goto read_directory_contents;
 	} else if (func == do_exit) {
 	    /* Exit from the file browser. */