--- a/libgui/src/m-editor/file-editor-tab.cc
+++ b/libgui/src/m-editor/file-editor-tab.cc
@@ -603,13 +603,14 @@
 }
 
 bool
-file_editor_tab::open_file ()
+file_editor_tab::open_file (QString dir)
 {
   QString openFileName;
   QFileDialog fileDialog(this);
   fileDialog.setNameFilter(SAVE_FILE_FILTER);
   fileDialog.setAcceptMode(QFileDialog::AcceptOpen);
   fileDialog.setViewMode(QFileDialog::Detail);
+  fileDialog.setDirectory(dir);
   if (fileDialog.exec () == QDialog::Accepted)
     {
       openFileName = fileDialog.selectedFiles().at(0);

--- a/libgui/src/m-editor/file-editor-tab.h
+++ b/libgui/src/m-editor/file-editor-tab.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 
   void set_modified (bool modified = true);
 
-  bool open_file ();
+  bool open_file (QString dir = QString ());
   void load_file (QString fileName);
   void new_file ();
   bool save_file ();
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@
   void run_file ();
 
   void file_has_changed (QString fileName);
+  
+  QString get_file_name () const {return _file_name;} 
 
 signals:
   void file_name_changed (QString fileName);

--- a/libgui/src/m-editor/file-editor.cc
+++ b/libgui/src/m-editor/file-editor.cc
@@ -98,11 +98,16 @@
 void
 file_editor::request_open_file ()
 {
+  file_editor_tab *current_tab = active_editor_tab ();
   file_editor_tab *fileEditorTab = new file_editor_tab (this);
   if (fileEditorTab)
     {
       add_file_editor_tab (fileEditorTab);
-      if (!fileEditorTab->open_file ())
+      QString dir = QDir::currentPath ();
+      // get the filename of the last active tab to open a new file from there
+      if (current_tab)
+        dir = QDir::cleanPath (current_tab->get_file_name ());
+      if (!fileEditorTab->open_file (dir))
         {
           // If no file was loaded, remove the tab again.
           _tab_widget->removeTab (_tab_widget->indexOf (fileEditorTab));