diff --git a/pmd-eclipse-plugin/plugins/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/editors/FileEditorFactory.java b/pmd-eclipse-plugin/plugins/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/editors/FileEditorFactory.java
index 6b7a7aba5c..80650e7ff9 100644
--- a/pmd-eclipse-plugin/plugins/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/editors/FileEditorFactory.java
+++ b/pmd-eclipse-plugin/plugins/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/editors/FileEditorFactory.java
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ public class FileEditorFactory extends AbstractEditorFactory {
 
         final FileProperty fp = filePropertyFrom(desc); // TODO - really necessary?
 
-        picker.addListener(SWT.FocusOut, new Listener() {
+        picker.addFocusOutListener(new Listener() {
             public void handleEvent(Event event) {
                 File newValue = picker.getFile();
                 File existingValue = (File)valueFor(source, fp);
diff --git a/pmd-eclipse-plugin/plugins/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/editors/FilePicker.java b/pmd-eclipse-plugin/plugins/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/editors/FilePicker.java
index 8f4a545f1a..5058e4f9f2 100644
--- a/pmd-eclipse-plugin/plugins/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/editors/FilePicker.java
+++ b/pmd-eclipse-plugin/plugins/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/editors/FilePicker.java
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ public class FilePicker extends Composite {
         fileField.setLayoutData(data);
     }
 
+    public void addFocusOutListener(Listener listener) {
+    	fileField.addListener(SWT.FocusOut, listener);
+    }
+    
     private void openFileDialog(Shell shell) {
     	
     	 FileDialog fd = new FileDialog(shell, SWT.OPEN);
@@ -79,6 +83,7 @@ public class FilePicker extends Composite {
          String selected = fd.open();
          
          fileField.setText(selected == null ? "" : selected);
+         fileField.setFocus();
     }
     
     public void setBackground(Color clr) {
@@ -102,10 +107,7 @@ public class FilePicker extends Composite {
     public File getFile() {
     	
     	String name = fileField.getText();
-    	if (StringUtil.isEmpty(name)) return null;
-    	
-        File file = new File(name);
-        return file.exists() ? file : null;
+    	return StringUtil.isEmpty(name) ? null : new File(name);
     }
 
 }