diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh b/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh
index 23ce163e57..7e1da03ba0 100755
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #export G_DEBUG=fatal_criticals
 
-export ARDOUR_PATH=./glade:./pixmaps:`pwd`:`cd ../ && pwd`
+export ARDOUR_PATH=./glade:./pixmaps:.:..
 
 export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=../libs/ardour:../libs/midi++2:../libs/pbd3:../libs/soundtouch:../libs/gtkmm2ext:../libs/sigc++2:../libs/glibmm2:../libs/gtkmm2/atk:../libs/gtkmm2/pango:../libs/gtkmm2/gdk:../libs/gtkmm2/gtk:../libs/libgnomecanvasmm:../libs/libglademm:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/new_session_dialog.cc b/gtk2_ardour/new_session_dialog.cc
index 541bef3081..3c113cebf2 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/new_session_dialog.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/new_session_dialog.cc
@@ -85,12 +85,13 @@ NewSessionDialog::NewSessionDialog(BaseObjectType* cobject,
 		m_treeview->get_selection()->set_mode (Gtk::SELECTION_SINGLE);
 
 	}
-
-	std::string path = ARDOUR::find_config_file (X_("templates"));
-	if (path !=  "") {
+	std::string path = ARDOUR::get_user_ardour_path() + X_("templates/");
+	if (path == Glib::ustring()) {
+	  path = ARDOUR::get_system_data_path() + X_("templates/");
+	}
+	if (path != Glib::ustring()) {
 	  m_template->set_current_folder (path);
 	}
-
 	m_template->set_show_hidden (true);
 	m_new_session_dialog->set_response_sensitive (Gtk::RESPONSE_OK, false);
 	m_new_session_dialog->set_response_sensitive (0, false);
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ NewSessionDialog::NewSessionDialog(BaseObjectType* cobject,
 	m_treeview->signal_row_activated().connect (mem_fun (*this, &NewSessionDialog::recent_row_activated));
 	m_open_filechooser->signal_selection_changed ().connect (mem_fun (*this, &NewSessionDialog::file_chosen));
 	m_template->signal_selection_changed ().connect (mem_fun (*this, &NewSessionDialog::template_chosen));
+	m_name->grab_focus();
 }
 
 void