diff --git a/gramps2/ChangeLog b/gramps2/ChangeLog
index 45b154cc6..e7c6e807a 100644
--- a/gramps2/ChangeLog
+++ b/gramps2/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2006-02-11  Don Allingham  <don@gramps-project.org>
+	* src/GrampsMime.py: detect directory type
+	* src/ImageSelect.py: don't allow directory types to be added
+	* src/MediaView.py: don't allow directory types to be added
+
 2006-02-11  Alex Roitman  <shura@gramps-project.org>
 	* src/DbPrompter.py (open_native): Use empty GRDB when opening fails.
 
diff --git a/gramps2/src/GrampsMime.py b/gramps2/src/GrampsMime.py
index 6b7ac4bb4..86c23024e 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/GrampsMime.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/GrampsMime.py
@@ -59,3 +59,16 @@ def mime_type_is_defined(type):
         return True
     except:
         return False
+
+def base_type(val):
+    return val.split('/')[0]
+
+def is_image_type(val):
+    return base_type(val) == "image"
+
+def is_directory(val):
+    return base_type(val) == "x-directory"
+_invalid_mime_types = ('x-directory','x-special')
+
+def is_valid_type(val):
+    return base_type(val) not in _invalid_mime_types
diff --git a/gramps2/src/ImageSelect.py b/gramps2/src/ImageSelect.py
index 1a5c9dceb..990211899 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/ImageSelect.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/ImageSelect.py
@@ -169,6 +169,12 @@ class ImageSelect:
         filename = Utils.find_file( filename)
         if filename:
             mtype = GrampsMime.get_type(filename)
+            if not GrampsMime.is_valid_type(mtype):
+                ErrorDialog(_('Invalid file type'),
+                            _('An object of type %s cannot be added '
+                              'to a gallery') % mtype)
+                return
+                
             if mtype and mtype.startswith("image"):
                 image = RelImage.scale_image(filename,const.thumbScale)
                 self.image.set_from_pixbuf(image)
@@ -209,12 +215,18 @@ class ImageSelect:
                 self.add_thumbnail(oref)
             else:
                 mtype = GrampsMime.get_type(filename)
-                mobj = RelLib.MediaObject()
-                if description == "":
-                    description = os.path.basename(filename)
-                mobj.set_description(description)
-                mobj.set_mime_type(mtype)
-                mobj.set_path(filename)
+                if GrampsMime.is_valid_type(mtype):
+                    mobj = RelLib.MediaObject()
+                    if description == "":
+                        description = os.path.basename(filename)
+                    mobj.set_description(description)
+                    mobj.set_mime_type(mtype)
+                    mobj.set_path(filename)
+                else:
+                    ErrorDialog(_('Invalid file type'),
+                                _('An object of type %s cannot be added '
+                                  'to a gallery') % mtype)
+                    return
         else:
             mobj = RelLib.MediaObject()
             mobj.set_description(description)
@@ -493,6 +505,8 @@ class Gallery(ImageSelect):
             if protocol == "file":
                 name = Utils.fix_encoding(mfile)
                 mime = GrampsMime.get_type(name)
+                if not GrampsMime.is_valid_type(mime):
+                    return
                 photo = RelLib.MediaObject()
                 photo.set_path(name)
                 photo.set_mime_type(mime)
diff --git a/gramps2/src/MediaView.py b/gramps2/src/MediaView.py
index a8e4fe010..bf3df92b3 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/MediaView.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/MediaView.py
@@ -403,6 +403,11 @@ class MediaView:
             protocol,site,name, j,k,l = urlparse.urlparse(d)
             if protocol == "file":
                 mime = GrampsMime.get_type(name)
+                if not GrampsMime.is_valid_type(mime):
+                    ErrorDialog(_('Invalid file type'),
+                                _('An object of type %s cannot be added '
+                                  'to a gallery') % mime)
+                    return
                 photo = RelLib.MediaObject()
                 photo.set_path(name)
                 photo.set_mime_type(mime)
@@ -426,6 +431,11 @@ class MediaView:
                     ErrorDialog(_('Image import failed'),str(msg))
                     return
                 mime = GrampsMime.get_type(tfile)
+                if not GrampsMime.is_valid_type(mime):
+                    ErrorDialog(_('Invalid file type'),
+                                _('An object of type %s cannot be added '
+                                  'to a gallery') % mtype)
+                    return
                 photo = RelLib.MediaObject()
                 photo.set_mime_type(mime)
                 photo.set_description(d)