diff --git a/qt-ui/mainwindow.cpp b/qt-ui/mainwindow.cpp
index d908fcd08..0b97d8c94 100644
--- a/qt-ui/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/qt-ui/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -208,7 +208,10 @@ void MainWindow::on_actionOpen_triggered()
 	if (!okToClose(tr("Please save or cancel the current dive edit before opening a new file.")))
 		return;
 
-	QString filename = QFileDialog::getOpenFileName(this, tr("Open file"), lastUsedDir(), filter());
+	// yes, this look wrong to use getSaveFileName() for the open dialog, but we need to be able
+	// to enter file names that don't exist in order to use our git syntax /path/to/dir[branch]
+	// with is a potentially valid input, but of course won't exist. So getOpenFileName() wouldn't work
+	QString filename = QFileDialog::getSaveFileName(this, tr("Open file"), lastUsedDir(), filter());
 	if (filename.isEmpty())
 		return;
 	updateLastUsedDir(QFileInfo(filename).dir().path());