diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index 09912dc95e..f9d09e34c9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -3285,15 +3285,33 @@ ARDOUR_UI::get_session_parameters (bool quit_on_cancel, bool should_be_new, stri
 		template_name = load_template;
 	}
 
-	session_name = basename_nosuffix (ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::session_name);
 	session_path = ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::session_name;
 
 	if (!session_path.empty()) {
+
 		if (Glib::file_test (session_path.c_str(), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
+
+			session_name = basename_nosuffix (ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::session_name);
+
 			if (Glib::file_test (session_path.c_str(), Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR)) {
 				/* session/snapshot file, change path to be dir */
 				session_path = Glib::path_get_dirname (session_path);
 			}
+		} else {
+
+			/* session (file or folder) does not exist ... did the
+			 * user give us a path or just a name?
+			 */
+
+			if (session_path.find (G_DIR_SEPARATOR) == string::npos) {
+				/* user gave session name with no path info, use
+				   default session folder.
+				*/
+				session_name = ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::session_name;
+				session_path = Glib::build_filename (Config->get_default_session_parent_dir (), session_name);
+			} else {
+				session_name = basename_nosuffix (ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::session_name);
+			}
 		}
 	}