diff --git a/PowerEditor/src/WinControls/Preference/preferenceDlg.cpp b/PowerEditor/src/WinControls/Preference/preferenceDlg.cpp
index cdf442685..246250c63 100644
--- a/PowerEditor/src/WinControls/Preference/preferenceDlg.cpp
+++ b/PowerEditor/src/WinControls/Preference/preferenceDlg.cpp
@@ -3567,9 +3567,9 @@ intptr_t CALLBACK DefaultDirectorySubDlg::run_dlgProc(UINT message, WPARAM wPara
 					shouldActivated = false;
 			}
 			::SendDlgItemMessage(_hSelf, ID2Check, BM_SETCHECK, BST_CHECKED, 0);
-			::SendDlgItemMessage(_hSelf, IDC_OPENSAVEDIR_ALWAYSON_EDIT, WM_SETTEXT, 0, reinterpret_cast<LPARAM>(nppGUI._defaultDir));
-			::EnableWindow(::GetDlgItem(_hSelf, IDC_OPENSAVEDIR_ALWAYSON_EDIT), shouldActivated);
 			::EnableWindow(::GetDlgItem(_hSelf, IDD_OPENSAVEDIR_ALWAYSON_BROWSE_BUTTON), shouldActivated);
+			::EnableWindow(::GetDlgItem(_hSelf, IDC_OPENSAVEDIR_ALWAYSON_EDIT), shouldActivated); // has to precede the next WM_SETTEXT call (for fixing the consequent EN_CHANGE notification)
+			::SendDlgItemMessage(_hSelf, IDC_OPENSAVEDIR_ALWAYSON_EDIT, WM_SETTEXT, 0, reinterpret_cast<LPARAM>(nppGUI._defaultDir));
 
 			::SendDlgItemMessage(_hSelf, IDC_OPENSAVEDIR_CHECK_DROPFOLDEROPENFILES, BM_SETCHECK, nppGUI._isFolderDroppedOpenFiles ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED, 0);
 
@@ -3604,11 +3604,14 @@ intptr_t CALLBACK DefaultDirectorySubDlg::run_dlgProc(UINT message, WPARAM wPara
 				{
 					case  IDC_OPENSAVEDIR_ALWAYSON_EDIT:
 					{
-						wchar_t inputDir[MAX_PATH] = { '\0' };
-						::SendDlgItemMessage(_hSelf, IDC_OPENSAVEDIR_ALWAYSON_EDIT, WM_GETTEXT, MAX_PATH, reinterpret_cast<LPARAM>(inputDir));
-						wcscpy_s(nppGUI._defaultDir, inputDir);
-						::ExpandEnvironmentStrings(nppGUI._defaultDir, nppGUI._defaultDirExp, _countof(nppGUI._defaultDirExp));
-						nppParam.setWorkingDir(nppGUI._defaultDirExp);
+						if (::IsWindowEnabled(::GetDlgItem(_hSelf, IDC_OPENSAVEDIR_ALWAYSON_EDIT))) // changed by user (and not by the WM_INITDIALOG WM_SETTEXT)
+						{
+							wchar_t inputDir[MAX_PATH] = { '\0' };
+							::SendDlgItemMessage(_hSelf, IDC_OPENSAVEDIR_ALWAYSON_EDIT, WM_GETTEXT, MAX_PATH, reinterpret_cast<LPARAM>(inputDir));
+							wcscpy_s(nppGUI._defaultDir, inputDir);
+							::ExpandEnvironmentStrings(nppGUI._defaultDir, nppGUI._defaultDirExp, _countof(nppGUI._defaultDirExp));
+							nppParam.setWorkingDir(nppGUI._defaultDirExp);
+						}
 						return TRUE;
 					}
 				}