diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.Common/config/Config.cs b/BizHawk.Client.Common/config/Config.cs
index cbfbc51ae2..66a09f7572 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.Common/config/Config.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.Common/config/Config.cs
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.Common
 		public int TargetScanlineFilterIntensity = 128; // choose between 0 and 256
 		public int TargetDisplayFilter = 0;
 		public int DispFinalFilter = 0;
-		public string DispUserFilterPath = ".";
+		public string DispUserFilterPath = "";
 		public RecentFiles RecentRoms = new RecentFiles(8);
 		public bool PauseWhenMenuActivated = true;
 		public bool SaveWindowPosition = true;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/DisplayManager/DisplayManager.cs b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/DisplayManager/DisplayManager.cs
index 86f556a050..d3f6f20f55 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/DisplayManager/DisplayManager.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/DisplayManager/DisplayManager.cs
@@ -130,10 +130,12 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 		{
 			if (ShaderChain_user != null)
 				ShaderChain_user.Dispose();
-			var fi = new FileInfo(Global.Config.DispUserFilterPath);
-			if (fi.Exists)
+			if (File.Exists(Global.Config.DispUserFilterPath))
+			{
+				var fi = new FileInfo(Global.Config.DispUserFilterPath);
 				using (var stream = fi.OpenRead())
 					ShaderChain_user = new Filters.RetroShaderChain(GL, new Filters.RetroShaderPreset(stream), Path.GetDirectoryName(Global.Config.DispUserFilterPath));
+			}
 		}
 
 		FilterManager.FilterProgram BuildDefaultChain(Size chain_insize, Size chain_outsize)