Index: src/global.c
===================================================================
--- src/global.c	(revision 5509)
+++ src/global.c	(working copy)
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@
 	/* Whether the current keystroke is an extended keypad value. */
 bool focusing = FALSE;
 	/* Whether an update of the edit window should center the cursor. */
+int mistakes;
+	/* Number of mistakes in the path of the specified file. */
 
 #ifndef NANO_TINY
 int controlleft = CONTROL_LEFT;
Index: src/files.c
===================================================================
--- src/files.c	(revision 5512)
+++ src/files.c	(working copy)
@@ -33,6 +33,29 @@
 #include <pwd.h>
 #include <libgen.h>
 
+/* Determine whether the components in a path are valid directories.
+ * Anything above zero means that it contains non-existent ones. */
+ int determine(const char *a)
+{
+    int i, len = strlen(a);
+    char *x;
+    struct stat buf2;
+
+    mistakes = 0;
+    x = charalloc(len * sizeof(char));
+
+    for (i = len; i >= 0; --i) {
+	if (a[i] == '/') {
+	    strncpy(x, a, i + 1);
+	    x[i + 2] = '\0';
+	    if (stat(x, &buf2) == -1)
+		++mistakes;
+        }
+    }
+    free(x);
+    return mistakes;
+}
+
 /* Add an entry to the openfile openfilestruct.  This should only be
  * called from open_buffer(). */
 void make_new_buffer(void)
@@ -908,6 +931,7 @@
  * with a 0 return value.  *f is set to the opened file. */
 int open_file(const char *filename, bool newfie, bool quiet, FILE **f)
 {
+    int m;
     struct stat fileinfo, fileinfo2;
     int fd;
     char *full_filename;
@@ -934,8 +958,13 @@
 	}
 
 	if (newfie) {
-	    if (!quiet)
-		statusbar(_("New File"));
+	    if (!quiet) {
+		m = determine(filename);
+		if (m == 0)
+		    statusbar(_("New File"));
+		else
+		    statusbar(_("Invalid path"));
+		}
 	    return -2;
 	}
 	statusbar(_("\"%s\" not found"), filename);
@@ -2230,7 +2259,7 @@
 
     ans = mallocstrcpy(NULL,
 #ifndef NANO_TINY
-	(!exiting && openfile->mark_set) ? "" :
+	((!exiting && openfile->mark_set) || mistakes > 0) ? "" :
 #endif
 	openfile->filename);
 
Index: src/proto.h
===================================================================
--- src/proto.h	(revision 5509)
+++ src/proto.h	(working copy)
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 extern bool meta_key;
 extern bool func_key;
 extern bool focusing;
+extern int mistakes;
 
 #ifndef NANO_TINY
 extern int controlleft;
@@ -281,6 +282,7 @@
 void do_uncut_text(void);
 
 /* All functions in files.c. */
+int determine(const char *a);
 void make_new_buffer(void);
 void initialize_buffer_text(void);
 void open_buffer(const char *filename, bool undoable);