diff -Naur a/dialog.c b/dialog.c
--- a/dialog.c	2019-09-24 09:26:46.000000000 +0100
+++ b/dialog.c	2019-11-13 16:26:14.013694135 +0000
@@ -925,7 +925,8 @@
     return dialog_dselect(t,
 			  av[1],
 			  numeric_arg(av, 2),
-			  numeric_arg(av, 3));
+			  numeric_arg(av, 3),
+			  optional_str(av, 4, 0));
 }
 
 static int
@@ -945,7 +946,8 @@
     return dialog_fselect(t,
 			  av[1],
 			  numeric_arg(av, 2),
-			  numeric_arg(av, 3));
+			  numeric_arg(av, 3),
+			  optional_str(av, 4, 0));
 }
 
 static int
diff -Naur a/dialog.h b/dialog.h
--- a/dialog.h	2019-11-10 23:17:37.000000000 +0000
+++ b/dialog.h	2019-11-13 16:26:14.013694135 +0000
@@ -642,10 +642,10 @@
 extern int dialog_buildlist(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*cprompt*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/, int /*list_height*/, int /*item_no*/, char ** /*items*/, int /*order_mode*/);
 extern int dialog_calendar(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*subtitle*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/, int /*day*/, int /*month*/, int /*year*/);
 extern int dialog_checklist(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*cprompt*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/, int /*list_height*/, int /*item_no*/, char ** /*items*/, int /*flag*/);
-extern int dialog_dselect(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*path*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/);
+extern int dialog_dselect(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*path*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/, const char * /*prompt*/);
 extern int dialog_editbox(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*file*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/);
 extern int dialog_form(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*cprompt*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/, int /*form_height*/, int /*item_no*/, char ** /*items*/);
-extern int dialog_fselect(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*path*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/);
+extern int dialog_fselect(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*path*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/, const char * /*prompt*/);
 extern int dialog_gauge(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*cprompt*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/, int /*percent*/);
 extern int dialog_helpfile(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*file*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/);
 extern int dialog_inputbox(const char * /*title*/, const char * /*cprompt*/, int /*height*/, int /*width*/, const char * /*init*/, const int /*password*/);
diff -Naur a/fselect.c b/fselect.c
--- a/fselect.c	2019-11-11 00:48:13.000000000 +0000
+++ b/fselect.c	2019-11-13 16:26:59.495526990 +0000
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@
  * Display a dialog box for entering a filename
  */
 static int
-dlg_fselect(const char *title, const char *path, int height, int width, int dselect)
+dlg_fselect(const char *title, const char *path, int height, int width, int dselect, const char *prompt)
 {
     /* *INDENT-OFF* */
     static DLG_KEYS_BINDING binding[] = {
@@ -607,8 +607,8 @@
     WINDOW *w_text = 0;
     WINDOW *w_work = 0;
     const char **buttons = dlg_ok_labels();
-    const char *d_label = _("Directories");
-    const char *f_label = _("Files");
+    const char *d_label = prompt ? prompt : _("Directories");
+    const char *f_label = prompt ? prompt : _("Files");
     char *partial = 0;
     int min_wide = MIN_WIDE;
     int min_items = height ? 0 : 4;
@@ -935,16 +935,16 @@
  * Display a dialog box for entering a filename
  */
 int
-dialog_fselect(const char *title, const char *path, int height, int width)
+dialog_fselect(const char *title, const char *path, int height, int width, const char *prompt)
 {
-    return dlg_fselect(title, path, height, width, FALSE);
+    return dlg_fselect(title, path, height, width, FALSE, prompt);
 }
 
 /*
  * Display a dialog box for entering a directory
  */
 int
-dialog_dselect(const char *title, const char *path, int height, int width)
+dialog_dselect(const char *title, const char *path, int height, int width, const char *prompt)
 {
-    return dlg_fselect(title, path, height, width, TRUE);
+    return dlg_fselect(title, path, height, width, TRUE, prompt);
 }