diff --git a/core/src/mindustry/core/Platform.java b/core/src/mindustry/core/Platform.java
index 60d938f084..7e3bbde613 100644
--- a/core/src/mindustry/core/Platform.java
+++ b/core/src/mindustry/core/Platform.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import mindustry.type.*;
 import mindustry.ui.dialogs.*;
 import rhino.*;
 
+import java.io.*;
 import java.net.*;
 
 import static mindustry.Vars.*;
@@ -140,6 +141,61 @@ public interface Platform{
      * @param title The title of the native dialog
      */
     default void showFileChooser(boolean open, String title, String extension, Cons<Fi> cons){
+        if(OS.isLinux && !OS.isAndroid){
+            showZenity(open, title, new String[]{extension}, cons, () -> defaultFileDialog(open, title, extension, cons));
+        }else{
+            defaultFileDialog(open, title, extension, cons);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** attempt to use the native file picker with zenity, or runs the fallback Runnable if the operation fails */
+    static void showZenity(boolean open, String title, String[] extensions, Cons<Fi> cons, Runnable fallback){
+        Threads.daemon(() -> {
+            try{
+                String formatted = (title.startsWith("@") ? Core.bundle.get(title.substring(1)) : title).replaceAll("\"", "'");
+
+                String last = FileChooser.getLastDirectory().absolutePath();
+                if(!last.endsWith("/")) last += "/";
+
+                //zenity doesn't support filtering by extension
+                Seq<String> args = Seq.with("zenity",
+                    "--file-selection",
+                    "--title=" + formatted,
+                    "--filename=" + last,
+                    "--confirm-overwrite",
+                    "--file-filter=" + Seq.with(extensions).toString(" ", s -> "*." + s),
+                    "--file-filter=All files | *" //allow anything if the user wants
+                );
+
+                if(!open){
+                    args.add("--save");
+                }
+
+                String result = OS.exec(args.toArray(String.class));
+
+                if(result.isEmpty() || result.equals("\n")) return;
+
+                if(result.endsWith("\n")) result = result.substring(0, result.length() - 1);
+                if(result.contains("\n")) throw new IOException("invalid input");
+
+                Fi file = Core.files.absolute(result);
+                Core.app.post(() -> {
+                    FileChooser.setLastDirectory(file.isDirectory() ? file : file.parent());
+
+                    if(!open){
+                        cons.get(file.parent().child(file.nameWithoutExtension() + "." + extensions[0]));
+                    }else{
+                        cons.get(file);
+                    }
+                });
+            }catch(Exception e){
+                Log.warn("zenity not found, using non-native file dialog. Consider installing `zenity` for native file dialogs.");
+                Core.app.post(fallback);
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
+    static void defaultFileDialog(boolean open, String title, String extension, Cons<Fi> cons){
         new FileChooser(title, file -> file.extEquals(extension), open, file -> {
             if(!open){
                 cons.get(file.parent().child(file.nameWithoutExtension() + "." + extension));
@@ -161,11 +217,17 @@ public interface Platform{
     default void showMultiFileChooser(Cons<Fi> cons, String... extensions){
         if(mobile){
             showFileChooser(true, extensions[0], cons);
+        }else if(OS.isLinux && !OS.isAndroid){
+            showZenity(true, "@open", extensions, cons, () -> defaultMultiFileChooser(cons, extensions));
         }else{
-            new FileChooser("@open", file -> Structs.contains(extensions, file.extension().toLowerCase()), true, cons).show();
+            defaultMultiFileChooser(cons, extensions);
         }
     }
 
+    static void defaultMultiFileChooser(Cons<Fi> cons, String... extensions){
+        new FileChooser("@open", file -> Structs.contains(extensions, file.extension().toLowerCase()), true, cons).show();
+    }
+
     /** Hide the app. Android only. */
     default void hide(){
     }
diff --git a/core/src/mindustry/ui/dialogs/FileChooser.java b/core/src/mindustry/ui/dialogs/FileChooser.java
index 8188d97514..6a33696fdc 100644
--- a/core/src/mindustry/ui/dialogs/FileChooser.java
+++ b/core/src/mindustry/ui/dialogs/FileChooser.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ public class FileChooser extends BaseDialog{
     private static final Fi homeDirectory = Core.files.absolute(Core.files.getExternalStoragePath());
     static Fi lastDirectory = Core.files.absolute(Core.settings.getString("lastDirectory", homeDirectory.absolutePath()));
 
-    Fi directory = lastDirectory;
+    Fi directory;
     private Table files;
     private ScrollPane pane;
     private TextField navigation, filefield;
@@ -37,10 +37,7 @@ public class FileChooser extends BaseDialog{
         this.filter = filter;
         this.selectListener = result;
 
-        if(!lastDirectory.exists()){
-            lastDirectory = homeDirectory;
-            directory = lastDirectory;
-        }
+        directory = getLastDirectory();
 
         onResize(() -> {
             cont.clear();
@@ -254,11 +251,18 @@ public class FileChooser extends BaseDialog{
         if(open) filefield.clearText();
     }
 
-    public static void setLastDirectory(Fi directory){
+    public static synchronized void setLastDirectory(Fi directory){
         lastDirectory = directory;
         Core.settings.put("lastDirectory", directory.absolutePath());
     }
 
+    public static synchronized Fi getLastDirectory(){
+        if(!lastDirectory.exists()){
+            lastDirectory = homeDirectory;
+        }
+        return lastDirectory;
+    }
+
     public class FileHistory{
         private Seq<Fi> history = new Seq<>();
         private int index;