diff --git a/src/gui/fileDialog.cpp b/src/gui/fileDialog.cpp
index f64f72cbb..bd54bf0fe 100644
--- a/src/gui/fileDialog.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/fileDialog.cpp
@@ -25,9 +25,10 @@ struct NFDState {
 };
 
 // TODO: filter
-void _nfdThread(const NFDState state, std::atomic<bool>* ok, String* result) {
+void _nfdThread(const NFDState state, std::atomic<bool>* ok, String* result, bool* errorOutput) {
   nfdchar_t* out=NULL;
   nfdresult_t ret=NFD_CANCEL;
+  errorOutput=false;
   
   if (state.isSave) {
     ret=NFD_SaveDialog(state.filter,state.path.c_str(),&out,state.clickCallback);
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ void _nfdThread(const NFDState state, std::atomic<bool>* ok, String* result) {
     case NFD_ERROR:
       (*result)="";
       logE("NFD error! %s\n",NFD_GetError());
+      (*errorOutput)=true;
       break;
     default:
       logE("NFD unknown return code %d!\n",ret);
@@ -68,14 +70,16 @@ bool FurnaceGUIFileDialog::openLoad(String header, std::vector<String> filter, c
 #ifdef USE_NFD
     dialogOK=false;
 #ifdef NFD_NON_THREADED
-    _nfdThread(NFDState(false,header,filter,path,clickCallback),&dialogOK,&nfdResult);
+    _nfdThread(NFDState(false,header,filter,path,clickCallback),&dialogOK,&nfdResult,&hasError);
 #else
-    dialogO=new std::thread(_nfdThread,NFDState(false,header,filter,path,clickCallback),&dialogOK,&nfdResult);
+    dialogO=new std::thread(_nfdThread,NFDState(false,header,filter,path,clickCallback),&dialogOK,&nfdResult,&hasError);
 #endif
 #else
     dialogO=new pfd::open_file(header,path,filter);
+    hasError=!pfd::settings::available();
 #endif
   } else {
+    hasError=false;
     ImGuiFileDialog::Instance()->DpiScale=dpiScale;
     ImGuiFileDialog::Instance()->OpenModal("FileDialog",header,noSysFilter,path,1,nullptr,0,clickCallback);
   }
@@ -92,14 +96,16 @@ bool FurnaceGUIFileDialog::openSave(String header, std::vector<String> filter, c
 #ifdef USE_NFD
     dialogOK=false;
 #ifdef NFD_NON_THREADED
-    _nfdThread(NFDState(true,header,filter,path,NULL),&dialogOK,&nfdResult);
+    _nfdThread(NFDState(true,header,filter,path,NULL),&dialogOK,&nfdResult,&hasError);
 #else
-    dialogS=new std::thread(_nfdThread,NFDState(true,header,filter,path,NULL),&dialogOK,&nfdResult);
+    dialogS=new std::thread(_nfdThread,NFDState(true,header,filter,path,NULL),&dialogOK,&nfdResult,&hasError);
 #endif
 #else
     dialogS=new pfd::save_file(header,path,filter);
+    hasError=!pfd::settings::available();
 #endif
   } else {
+    hasError=false;
     ImGuiFileDialog::Instance()->DpiScale=dpiScale;
     ImGuiFileDialog::Instance()->OpenModal("FileDialog",header,noSysFilter,path,1,nullptr,ImGuiFileDialogFlags_ConfirmOverwrite);
   }
@@ -193,6 +199,10 @@ bool FurnaceGUIFileDialog::isOpen() {
   return opened;
 }
 
+bool FurnaceGUIFileDialog::isError() {
+  return hasError;
+}
+
 String FurnaceGUIFileDialog::getPath() {
   if (sysDialog) {
     if (curPath.size()>1) {
diff --git a/src/gui/fileDialog.h b/src/gui/fileDialog.h
index 6724eb951..f3edd2884 100644
--- a/src/gui/fileDialog.h
+++ b/src/gui/fileDialog.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class FurnaceGUIFileDialog {
   bool sysDialog;
   bool opened;
   bool saving;
+  bool hasError;
   String curPath;
   String fileName;
 #ifdef USE_NFD
@@ -46,12 +47,14 @@ class FurnaceGUIFileDialog {
     void close();
     bool render(const ImVec2& min, const ImVec2& max);
     bool isOpen();
+    bool isError();
     String getPath();
     String getFileName();
     explicit FurnaceGUIFileDialog(bool system):
       sysDialog(system),
       opened(false),
       saving(false),
+      hasError(false),
       dialogO(NULL),
       dialogS(NULL) {}
 };
diff --git a/src/gui/gui.cpp b/src/gui/gui.cpp
index 642572d38..c6a58c083 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/gui.cpp
@@ -3221,6 +3221,13 @@ bool FurnaceGUI::loop() {
           workingDirROM=fileDialog->getPath()+DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
           break;
       }
+      if (fileDialog->isError()) {
+#if defined(_WIN32) || defined(__APPLE__)
+        showError("there was an error in the file dialog! you may want to report this issue to:\nhttps://github.com/tildearrow/furnace/issues\ncheck the Log Viewer (window > log viewer) for more information.\n\nfor now please disable the system file picker in Settings > General.");
+#else
+        showError("Zenity/KDialog not available!\nplease install one of these, or disable the system file picker in Settings > General.");
+#endif
+      }
       if (fileDialog->accepted()) {
         fileName=fileDialog->getFileName();
         if (fileName!="") {