diff --git a/lib/functions/filedir/function.findDirs.php b/lib/functions/filedir/function.findDirs.php
index ecc6a84a..b24ea147 100644
--- a/lib/functions/filedir/function.findDirs.php
+++ b/lib/functions/filedir/function.findDirs.php
@@ -43,10 +43,20 @@ function findDirs($path, $uid, $gid)
 	{
 		$path = array_pop($list);
 		$path = makeCorrectDir($path);
+		
+		if(!is_readable($path))
+		{
+			return $_fileList;
+		}
+
 		$dh = opendir($path);
 
 		if($dh === false)
 		{
+			/*
+			 * this should never be called because we checked
+			 * 'is_readable' before...but we never know what might happen
+			 */
 			standard_error('cannotreaddir', $path);
 			return null;
 		}
diff --git a/lib/functions/filedir/function.makePathfield.php b/lib/functions/filedir/function.makePathfield.php
index c202649f..1577b4f4 100644
--- a/lib/functions/filedir/function.makePathfield.php
+++ b/lib/functions/filedir/function.makePathfield.php
@@ -46,18 +46,25 @@ function makePathfield($path, $uid, $gid, $fieldType, $value = '')
 
 		if(sizeof($dirList) > 0)
 		{
-			$field = '<select name="path">';
-			foreach($dirList as $key => $dir)
+			if(sizeof(dirList) <= 100)
 			{
-				if(strpos($dir, $path) === 0)
+				$field = '<select name="path">';
+				foreach($dirList as $key => $dir)
 				{
-					$dir = makeCorrectDir(substr($dir, strlen($path)));
+					if(strpos($dir, $path) === 0)
+					{
+						$dir = makeCorrectDir(substr($dir, strlen($path)));
+					}
+	
+					$field.= makeoption($dir, $dir, $value);
 				}
-
-				$field.= makeoption($dir, $dir, $value);
+				$field.= '</select>';
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				$field = $lng['panel']['toomanydirs'];
+				$field.= '<input type="text" name="path" value="' . htmlspecialchars($value) . '" size="30" />';
 			}
-
-			$field.= '</select>';
 		}
 		else
 		{
diff --git a/lng/english.lng.php b/lng/english.lng.php
index 4fe483f9..e440904d 100644
--- a/lng/english.lng.php
+++ b/lng/english.lng.php
@@ -1250,5 +1250,7 @@ $lng['success']['settingssaved'] = 'The settings have been successfully saved.';
 $lng['admin']['spfsettings'] = 'Domain SPF settings';
 $lng['spf']['use_spf'] = 'Activate SPF for domains?';
 $lng['spf']['spf_entry'] = 'SPF entry for all domains';
+$lng['panel']['dirsmissing'] = 'The given directory could not be found.';
+$lng['panel']['toomanydirs'] = 'Too many subdirectories. Falling back to manual path-select.';
 
 ?>
diff --git a/lng/german.lng.php b/lng/german.lng.php
index f0b28299..ef7a6a42 100644
--- a/lng/german.lng.php
+++ b/lng/german.lng.php
@@ -1230,5 +1230,7 @@ $lng['aps']['license_link'] = 'Link zur Lizenz';
 $lng['admin']['spfsettings'] = 'Domain SPF Einstellungen';
 $lng['spf']['use_spf'] = 'Aktiviere SPF f&uuml;r Domains?';
 $lng['spf']['spf_entry'] = 'SPF Eintrag f&uuml;r alle Domains';
+$lng['panel']['dirsmissing'] = 'Das angegebene Verzeichnis konnte nicht gefunden werden.';
+$lng['panel']['toomanydirs'] = 'Zu viele Unterverzeichnisse. Weiche auf manuelle Verzeichniseingabe aus.';
 
 ?>