diff --git a/src/common/fe.h b/src/common/fe.h
index 22db38df..91bf0a5b 100644
--- a/src/common/fe.h
+++ b/src/common/fe.h
@@ -125,11 +125,12 @@ void fe_get_str (char *prompt, char *def, void *callback, void *ud);
 void fe_get_int (char *prompt, int def, void *callback, void *ud);
 #define FRF_WRITE 1				/* save file */
 #define FRF_MULTIPLE 2			/* multi-select */
-#define FRF_ADDFOLDER 4			/* add ~/.config/hexchat to favourites */
+#define FRF_RECENTLYUSED 4		/* let gtk decide start dir instead of our config */
 #define FRF_CHOOSEFOLDER 8		/* choosing a folder only */
 #define FRF_FILTERISINITIAL 16	/* filter is initial directory */
 #define FRF_NOASKOVERWRITE 32	/* don't ask to overwrite existing files */
 #define FRF_EXTENSIONS 64		/* specify file extensions to be displayed */
+#define FRF_MIMETYPES 128		/* specify file mimetypes to be displayed */
 void fe_get_file (const char *title, char *initial,
 				 void (*callback) (void *userdata, char *file), void *userdata,
 				 int flags);
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c b/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c
index acba80a5..3469569e 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c
@@ -908,10 +908,15 @@ fe_confirm (const char *message, void (*yesproc)(void *), void (*noproc)(void *)
 {
 	/* warning, assuming fe_confirm is used by DCC only! */
 	struct DCC *dcc = ud;
+	char *filepath;
 
 	if (dcc->file)
-		gtkutil_file_req (message, dcc_saveas_cb, ud, dcc->file, NULL,
-								FRF_WRITE|FRF_NOASKOVERWRITE);
+	{
+		filepath = g_build_filename (prefs.hex_dcc_dir, dcc->file, NULL);
+		gtkutil_file_req (message, dcc_saveas_cb, ud, filepath, NULL,
+								FRF_WRITE|FRF_NOASKOVERWRITE|FRF_FILTERISINITIAL);
+		g_free (filepath);
+	}
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/gtkutil.c b/src/fe-gtk/gtkutil.c
index 8a3de06f..985a2f78 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/gtkutil.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/gtkutil.c
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@
 
 extern void path_part (char *file, char *path, int pathlen);
 
-
 struct file_req
 {
 	GtkWidget *dialog;
@@ -69,9 +68,6 @@ struct file_req
 #endif
 };
 
-static char last_dir[256] = "";
-
-
 static void
 gtkutil_file_req_destroy (GtkWidget * wid, struct file_req *freq)
 {
@@ -84,13 +80,14 @@ gtkutil_check_file (char *file, struct file_req *freq)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 	int axs = FALSE;
+	char temp[256];
 
-	path_part (file, last_dir, sizeof (last_dir));
+	path_part (file, temp, sizeof (temp));
 
 	/* check if the file is readable or writable */
 	if (freq->flags & FRF_WRITE)
 	{
-		if (access (last_dir, W_OK) == 0)
+		if (access (temp, W_OK) == 0)
 			axs = TRUE;
 	} else
 	{
@@ -179,60 +176,6 @@ gtkutil_file_req (const char *title, void *callback, void *userdata, char *filte
 	char *token;
 	char *tokenbuffer;
 
-#if 0	/* native file dialogs */
-#ifdef WIN32
-	if (!(flags & FRF_WRITE))
-	{
-		freq = malloc (sizeof (struct file_req));
-		freq->th = thread_new ();
-		freq->flags = 0;
-		freq->multiple = (flags & FRF_MULTIPLE);
-		freq->callback = callback;
-		freq->userdata = userdata;
-		freq->title = g_locale_from_utf8 (title, -1, 0, 0, 0);
-		if (!filter)
-		{
-			freq->filter =	"All files\0*.*\0"
-							"Executables\0*.exe\0"
-							"ZIP files\0*.zip\0\0";
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			freq->filter = filter;
-		}
-
-		thread_start (freq->th, win32_thread, freq);
-		fe_input_add (freq->th->pipe_fd[0], FIA_FD|FIA_READ, win32_read_thread, freq);
-
-		return;
-
-	}
-	
-	else {
-		freq = malloc (sizeof (struct file_req));
-		freq->th = thread_new ();
-		freq->flags = 0;
-		freq->multiple = (flags & FRF_MULTIPLE);
-		freq->callback = callback;
-		freq->userdata = userdata;
-		freq->title = g_locale_from_utf8 (title, -1, 0, 0, 0);
-		if (!filter)
-		{
-			freq->filter = "All files\0*.*\0\0";
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			freq->filter = filter;
-		}
-
-		thread_start (freq->th, win32_thread2, freq);
-		fe_input_add (freq->th->pipe_fd[0], FIA_FD|FIA_READ, win32_read_thread, freq);
-
-	return;
-	}
-#endif
-#endif
-
 	if (flags & FRF_WRITE)
 	{
 		dialog = gtk_file_chooser_dialog_new (title, NULL,
@@ -240,13 +183,6 @@ gtkutil_file_req (const char *title, void *callback, void *userdata, char *filte
 												GTK_STOCK_CANCEL, GTK_RESPONSE_CANCEL,
 												GTK_STOCK_SAVE, GTK_RESPONSE_ACCEPT,
 												NULL);
-		if (filter && filter[0])	/* filter becomes initial name when saving */
-		{
-			char temp[1024];
-			path_part (filter, temp, sizeof (temp));
-			gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), temp);
-			gtk_file_chooser_set_current_name (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), file_part (filter));
-		}
 
 		if (!(flags & FRF_NOASKOVERWRITE))
 			gtk_file_chooser_set_do_overwrite_confirmation (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), TRUE);
@@ -257,41 +193,28 @@ gtkutil_file_req (const char *title, void *callback, void *userdata, char *filte
 												GTK_STOCK_CANCEL, GTK_RESPONSE_CANCEL,
 												GTK_STOCK_OK, GTK_RESPONSE_ACCEPT,
 												NULL);
+
+	if (filter && filter[0] && (flags & FRF_FILTERISINITIAL))
+	{
+		if (flags & FRF_WRITE)
+		{
+			char temp[1024];
+			path_part (filter, temp, sizeof (temp));
+			gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), temp);
+			gtk_file_chooser_set_current_name (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), file_part (filter));
+		}
+		else
+			gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), filter);
+	}
+	else if (!(flags & FRF_RECENTLYUSED))
+		gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), get_xdir ());
+
 	if (flags & FRF_MULTIPLE)
 		gtk_file_chooser_set_select_multiple (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), TRUE);
-	if (last_dir[0])
-		gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), last_dir);
-	if (flags & FRF_ADDFOLDER)
-		gtk_file_chooser_add_shortcut_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog),
-														  get_xdir (), NULL);
 	if (flags & FRF_CHOOSEFOLDER)
-	{
 		gtk_file_chooser_set_action (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), GTK_FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_SELECT_FOLDER);
-		gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), filter);
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		if (filter && (flags & FRF_FILTERISINITIAL))
-		{
-			gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), filter);
-		}
-		/* With DCC, we can't rely on filter as initial folder since filter already contains
-		 * the filename upon DCC RECV. Thus we have no better option than to check for the message
-		 * which will be the title of the window. For DCC it always contains the "offering" word.
-		 * This method is really ugly but it works so we'll stick with it for now.
-		 */
-		else if (strstr (title, "offering") != NULL)
-		{
-			gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), prefs.hex_dcc_dir);
-		}
-		/* by default, open the config folder */
-		else
-		{
-			gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), get_xdir ());
-		}
-	}
 
-	if (flags & FRF_EXTENSIONS && extensions != NULL)
+	if ((flags & FRF_EXTENSIONS || flags & FRF_MIMETYPES) && extensions != NULL)
 	{
 		filefilter = gtk_file_filter_new ();
 		tokenbuffer = g_strdup (extensions);
@@ -299,7 +222,10 @@ gtkutil_file_req (const char *title, void *callback, void *userdata, char *filte
 
 		while (token != NULL)
 		{
-			gtk_file_filter_add_pattern (filefilter, token);
+			if (flags & FRF_EXTENSIONS)
+				gtk_file_filter_add_pattern (filefilter, token);
+			else
+				gtk_file_filter_add_mime_type (filefilter, token);
 			token = strtok (NULL, ";");
 		}
 
@@ -307,6 +233,8 @@ gtkutil_file_req (const char *title, void *callback, void *userdata, char *filte
 		gtk_file_chooser_set_filter (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), filefilter);
 	}
 
+	gtk_file_chooser_add_shortcut_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (dialog), get_xdir (), NULL);
+
 	freq = malloc (sizeof (struct file_req));
 	freq->dialog = dialog;
 	freq->flags = flags;
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/gtkutil.h b/src/fe-gtk/gtkutil.h
index e3f59a29..2ecbe3c2 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/gtkutil.h
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/gtkutil.h
@@ -21,16 +21,10 @@
 #define HEXCHAT_GTKUTIL_H
 
 #include <gtk/gtk.h>
+#include "../common/fe.h"
 
 typedef void (*filereqcallback) (void *, char *file);
 
-#define FRF_WRITE 1
-#define FRF_MULTIPLE 2
-#define FRF_ADDFOLDER 4
-#define FRF_CHOOSEFOLDER 8
-#define FRF_FILTERISINITIAL 16
-#define FRF_NOASKOVERWRITE 32
-
 void gtkutil_file_req (const char *title, void *callback, void *userdata, char *filter, char *extensions, int flags);
 void gtkutil_destroy (GtkWidget * igad, GtkWidget * dgad);
 void gtkutil_destroy_on_esc (GtkWidget *win);
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/plugingui.c b/src/fe-gtk/plugingui.c
index 745c6d83..c6d90e2f 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/plugingui.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/plugingui.c
@@ -162,9 +162,9 @@ plugingui_load (void)
 
 	gtkutil_file_req (_("Select a Plugin or Script to load"), plugingui_load_cb, current_sess,
 #ifdef WIN32
-							sub_dir, "*.dll;*.lua;*.pl;*.py;*.tcl;*.js", FRF_ADDFOLDER|FRF_FILTERISINITIAL|FRF_EXTENSIONS);
+							sub_dir, "*.dll;*.lua;*.pl;*.py;*.tcl;*.js", FRF_FILTERISINITIAL|FRF_EXTENSIONS);
 #else
-							sub_dir, "*.so;*.lua;*.pl;*.py;*.tcl;*.js", FRF_ADDFOLDER|FRF_FILTERISINITIAL|FRF_EXTENSIONS);
+							sub_dir, "*.so;*.lua;*.pl;*.py;*.tcl;*.js", FRF_FILTERISINITIAL|FRF_EXTENSIONS);
 #endif
 
 	g_free (sub_dir);
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/setup.c b/src/fe-gtk/setup.c
index 2d46b95f..4abc584f 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/setup.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/setup.c
@@ -1059,7 +1059,19 @@ setup_filereq_cb (GtkWidget *entry, char *file)
 static void
 setup_browsefile_cb (GtkWidget *button, GtkWidget *entry)
 {
-	gtkutil_file_req (_("Select an Image File"), setup_filereq_cb, entry, NULL, NULL, 0);
+	/* used for background image only */
+	char *filter;
+	int filter_type;
+
+#ifdef WIN32
+	filter = "*png;*.tiff;*.gif;*.jpeg;*.jpg";
+	filter_type = FRF_EXTENSIONS;
+#else
+	filter = "image/*";
+	filter_type = FRF_MIMETYPES;
+#endif
+	gtkutil_file_req (_("Select an Image File"), setup_filereq_cb,
+					entry, NULL, filter, filter_type|FRF_RECENTLYUSED);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1659,7 +1671,18 @@ static void
 setup_snd_browse_cb (GtkWidget *button, GtkEntry *entry)
 {
 	char *sounds_dir = g_build_filename (get_xdir (), HEXCHAT_SOUND_DIR, NULL);
-	gtkutil_file_req (_("Select a sound file"), setup_snd_filereq_cb, entry, sounds_dir, NULL, FRF_FILTERISINITIAL);
+	char *filter = NULL;
+	int filter_type;
+#ifdef WIN32 /* win32 only supports wav, others could support anything */
+	filter = "*.wav";
+	filter_type = FRF_EXTENSIONS;
+#else
+	filter = "audio/*";
+	filter_type = FRF_MIMETYPES;
+#endif
+
+	gtkutil_file_req (_("Select a sound file"), setup_snd_filereq_cb, entry,
+						sounds_dir, filter, FRF_FILTERISINITIAL|filter_type);
 	g_free (sounds_dir);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/urlgrab.c b/src/fe-gtk/urlgrab.c
index cefa51c8..79a6d5f5 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/urlgrab.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/urlgrab.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ static void
 url_button_save (void)
 {
 	gtkutil_file_req (_("Select an output filename"),
-							url_save_callback, NULL, get_xdir (), NULL, FRF_WRITE|FRF_FILTERISINITIAL);
+							url_save_callback, NULL, NULL, NULL, FRF_WRITE);
 }
 
 void