diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index 0e1647c3d8..4a8f86c692 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -1491,7 +1491,14 @@ ARDOUR_UI::open_session ()
 			open_session_selector->set_current_folder(Config->get_default_session_parent_dir());
 		}
 
-		open_session_selector->add_shortcut_folder (Config->get_default_session_parent_dir());
+		string default_session_folder = Config->get_default_session_parent_dir();
+		try {
+			/* add_shortcut_folder throws an exception if the folder being added already has a shortcut */
+			open_session_selector->add_shortcut_folder (default_session_folder);
+		}
+		catch (Glib::Error & e) {
+			std::cerr << "open_session_selector->add_shortcut_folder (" << default_session_folder << ") threw Glib::Error " << e.what() << std::endl;
+		}
 
 		FileFilter session_filter;
 		session_filter.add_pattern ("*.ardour");
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/startup.cc b/gtk2_ardour/startup.cc
index 0ec79667ab..e24e7d6989 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/startup.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/startup.cc
@@ -805,7 +805,15 @@ ArdourStartup::setup_new_session_page ()
 			string::size_type last_dir_sep = session_parent_dir.rfind(G_DIR_SEPARATOR);
 			session_parent_dir = session_parent_dir.substr(0, last_dir_sep);
 			new_folder_chooser.set_current_folder (session_parent_dir);
-			new_folder_chooser.add_shortcut_folder (poor_mans_glob (Config->get_default_session_parent_dir()));
+			string default_session_folder = poor_mans_glob (Config->get_default_session_parent_dir());
+
+			try {
+				/* add_shortcut_folder throws an exception if the folder being added already has a shortcut */
+				new_folder_chooser.add_shortcut_folder (default_session_folder);
+			}
+			catch (Glib::Error & e) {
+				std::cerr << "new_folder_chooser.add_shortcut_folder (" << default_session_folder << ") threw Glib::Error " << e.what() << std::endl;
+			}
 		} else {
 			new_folder_chooser.set_current_folder (poor_mans_glob (Config->get_default_session_parent_dir()));
 		}