diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/file.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/file.js
index 9d05876f1e..9405af4c73 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/file.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/file.js
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ Zotero.File = new function(){
 	Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/FileUtils.jsm");
 	
 	this.getExtension = getExtension;
-	this.getClosestDirectory = getClosestDirectory;
 	this.getContentsFromURL = getContentsFromURL;
 	this.putContents = putContents;
 	this.getValidFileName = getValidFileName;
@@ -88,21 +87,31 @@ Zotero.File = new function(){
 	}
 	
 	
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * Traverses up the filesystem from a file until it finds an existing
 	 *  directory, or false if it hits the root
 	 */
-	function getClosestDirectory(file) {
-		var dir = file.parent;
-		
-		while (dir && !dir.exists()) {
-			var dir = dir.parent;
+	this.getClosestDirectory = async function (file) {
+		try {
+			let stat = await OS.File.stat(file);
+			// If file is an existing directory, return it
+			if (stat.isDir) {
+				return file;
+			}
+		}
+		catch (e) {
+			if (e.becauseNoSuchFile) {}
+			else {
+				throw e;
+			}
 		}
 		
-		if (dir && dir.exists()) {
-			return dir;
+		var dir = OS.Path.dirname(file);
+		while (dir && !await OS.File.exists(dir)) {
+			dir = OS.Path.dirname(dir);
 		}
-		return false;
+		
+		return dir || false;
 	}
 	
 	
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js b/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js
index 49a62c00cb..fd28cc62a5 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js
@@ -4569,10 +4569,10 @@ var ZoteroPane = new function()
 				Zotero.debug("Invalid path", 2);
 				break;
 			}
-			var dir = Zotero.File.getClosestDirectory(file);
+			
+			var dir = yield Zotero.File.getClosestDirectory(file);
 			if (dir) {
-				dir.QueryInterface(Components.interfaces.nsILocalFile);
-				fp.displayDirectory = dir;
+				fp.displayDirectory = Zotero.File.pathToFile(dir);
 			}
 			
 			fp.appendFilters(Components.interfaces.nsIFilePicker.filterAll);
diff --git a/test/tests/fileTest.js b/test/tests/fileTest.js
index 939076c529..8568d7f813 100644
--- a/test/tests/fileTest.js
+++ b/test/tests/fileTest.js
@@ -96,6 +96,32 @@ describe("Zotero.File", function () {
 		});
 	});
 	
+	
+	describe("#getClosestDirectory()", function () {
+		it("should return directory for file that exists", function* () {
+			var tmpDir = yield getTempDirectory();
+			var closest = yield Zotero.File.getClosestDirectory(tmpDir);
+			assert.equal(closest, tmpDir);
+		});
+		
+		it("should return parent directory for missing file", function* () {
+			var tmpDir = yield getTempDirectory();
+			var closest = yield Zotero.File.getClosestDirectory(OS.Path.join(tmpDir, 'a'));
+			assert.equal(closest, tmpDir);
+		});
+		
+		it("should find an existing directory three levels up from a missing file", function* () {
+			var tmpDir = yield getTempDirectory();
+			var closest = yield Zotero.File.getClosestDirectory(OS.Path.join(tmpDir, 'a', 'b', 'c'));
+			assert.equal(closest, tmpDir);
+		});
+		
+		it("should return false for a path that doesn't exist at all", function* () {
+			assert.isFalse(yield Zotero.File.getClosestDirectory('/a/b/c'));
+		});
+	});
+	
+	
 	describe("#copyDirectory()", function () {
 		it("should copy all files within a directory", function* () {
 			var tmpDir = Zotero.getTempDirectory().path;