diff --git a/src/actions.c b/src/actions.c
index 89c8e2e1..a10b4f01 100644
--- a/src/actions.c
+++ b/src/actions.c
@@ -407,9 +407,9 @@ void saveas(const char *f, int type) /*  changed name from ask_save_file to save
         if( (p = strrchr(filename, '.')) && !strcmp(p, ".sch") ) {
           my_strncpy(filename, add_ext(filename, ".sym"), S(filename));
         }
-        my_snprintf(name, S(name), "save_file_dialog {Save file} .sym.sch INITIALLOADDIR {%s}", filename);
+        my_snprintf(name, S(name), "save_file_dialog {Save file} *.\\{sch,sym\\} INITIALLOADDIR {%s}", filename);
       } else {
-        my_snprintf(name, S(name), "save_file_dialog {Save file} .sch.sym INITIALLOADDIR {%s}", filename);
+        my_snprintf(name, S(name), "save_file_dialog {Save file} *.\\{sch,sym\\} INITIALLOADDIR {%s}", filename);
       }
 
       tcleval(name);
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ void ask_new_file(void)
     if(xctx->modified) {
       if(save(1) == -1 ) return; /*  user cancels save, so do nothing. */
     }
-    tcleval("load_file_dialog {Load file} .sch.sym INITIALLOADDIR");
+    tcleval("load_file_dialog {Load file} *.\\{sch,sym\\} INITIALLOADDIR");
     my_snprintf(f, S(f),"%s", tclresult());
     if(f[0]) {
       char win_path[WINDOW_PATH_SIZE];
@@ -996,7 +996,7 @@ int place_symbol(int pos, const char *symbol_name, double x, double y, short rot
  char *type;
  int cond;
  if(symbol_name==NULL) {
-   tcleval("load_file_dialog {Choose symbol} .sym INITIALINSTDIR");
+   tcleval("load_file_dialog {Choose symbol} *.sym INITIALINSTDIR");
    my_strncpy(name, tclresult(), S(name));
  } else {
    my_strncpy(name, symbol_name, S(name));
@@ -1243,7 +1243,7 @@ int descend_schematic(int instnumber)
     char res[PATH_MAX];
 
     my_strncpy(filename, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], S(filename));
-    my_snprintf(cmd, S(cmd), "save_file_dialog {Save file} .sch.sym INITIALLOADDIR {%s}", filename);
+    my_snprintf(cmd, S(cmd), "save_file_dialog {Save file} *.\\{sch,sym\\} INITIALLOADDIR {%s}", filename);
     tcleval(cmd);
     my_strncpy(res, tclresult(), S(res));
     if(!res[0]) return 0;
diff --git a/src/callback.c b/src/callback.c
index 610553eb..c2ffd2f7 100644
--- a/src/callback.c
+++ b/src/callback.c
@@ -1921,7 +1921,7 @@ int callback(const char *winpath, int event, int mx, int my, KeySym key,
    }
    if((key==XK_Insert && (state & ShiftMask)) ||  (key == 'i' && state == ControlMask)) /* insert sym */
    {
-     tcleval("load_file_dialog {Insert symbol} .sym INITIALINSTDIR 2");
+     tcleval("load_file_dialog {Insert symbol} *.sym INITIALINSTDIR 2");
      break;
    }
    if(key==XK_Insert || (key == 'I' && state == ShiftMask) ) /* insert sym */
diff --git a/src/paste.c b/src/paste.c
index 6d7596dc..518db67d 100644
--- a/src/paste.c
+++ b/src/paste.c
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ void merge_file(int selection_load, const char ext[])
     if(selection_load==0)
     {
      if(!strcmp(ext,"")) {
-       my_snprintf(tmp, S(tmp), "load_file_dialog {Merge file} {.sch.sym} INITIALLOADDIR");
+       my_snprintf(tmp, S(tmp), "load_file_dialog {Merge file} *.\\{sch,sym\\} INITIALLOADDIR");
        tcleval(tmp);
        if(!strcmp(tclresult(),"")) return;
        my_strncpy(name, (char *)tclresult(), S(name));
diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index ea718f81..d4e4120d 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -3182,7 +3182,7 @@ void make_schematic_symbol_from_sel(void)
   char filename[PATH_MAX] = "";
   char name[1024]; 
 
-  my_snprintf(name, S(name), "save_file_dialog {Save file} .sch.sym INITIALLOADDIR");
+  my_snprintf(name, S(name), "save_file_dialog {Save file} *.\\{sch,sym\\} INITIALLOADDIR");
   tcleval(name);
   my_strncpy(filename, tclresult(), S(filename));
   if (!strcmp(filename, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch])) {
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index 02e1c013..d6467896 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -1719,7 +1719,7 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
         if(argc>=3) {
           my_snprintf(fullname, S(fullname),"%s", argv[2]);
         } else {
-          tcleval("load_file_dialog {Load file} .sch.sym INITIALLOADDIR");
+          tcleval("load_file_dialog {Load file} *.\\{sch,sym\\} INITIALLOADDIR");
           my_snprintf(fullname, S(fullname),"%s", tclresult());
         }
         if( fullname[0] ) {
diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index ad72cba1..6586a63a 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ int compare_schematics(const char *f)
 
   /* set filename of schematic to compare */
   if(f == NULL) {
-    tcleval("load_file_dialog {Schematic to compare with} .sch.sym INITIALLOADDIR");
+    tcleval("load_file_dialog {Schematic to compare with} *.\\{sch,sym\\} INITIALLOADDIR");
     if(tclresult()[0]) my_strncpy(xctx->sch_to_compare, tclresult(), S(xctx->sch_to_compare));
     else my_strncpy(xctx->sch_to_compare, "", S(xctx->sch_to_compare));
   } else if(f[0] != '\0') {
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index c0db4751..fee4f6a7 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -2358,7 +2358,7 @@ proc myload_getresult {loadfile confirm_overwrt} {
       } else {
         return "$myload_dir1/$myload_retval"
       }
-    } elseif { $myload_type ne {SYMBOL} && ($myload_ext eq {.sym}) } {
+    } elseif { $myload_type ne {SYMBOL} && ($myload_ext eq {*.sym}) } {
       set answer [
         tk_messageBox -message "$myload_dir1/$myload_retval does not seem to be a SYMBOL file...\nContinue?" \
            -icon warning -parent [xschem get topwindow] -type yesno]
@@ -2409,8 +2409,8 @@ proc load_file_dialog {{msg {}} {ext {}} {global_initdir {INITIALINSTDIR}}
   }
   set myload_loadfile $loadfile
   set myload_ext $ext
+  set globfilter $ext
   set save_initialfile $initialf
-  set globfilter *
   set myload_retval {} 
   upvar #0 $global_initdir initdir
   if { $loadfile != 2} {xschem set semaphore [expr {[xschem get semaphore] +1}]}
@@ -2444,7 +2444,7 @@ proc load_file_dialog {{msg {}} {ext {}} {global_initdir {INITIALINSTDIR}}
     if { $myload_sel ne {} } {
       set myload_dir1 [abs_sym_path [.load.l.paneleft.list get $myload_sel]]
       set myload_index1 $myload_sel
-      set globfilter *
+      set globfilter $myload_ext
       if {$save_initialfile eq {}} {.load.buttons_bot.entry delete 0 end}
       setglob $myload_dir1
       myload_set_colors2
@@ -2635,7 +2635,6 @@ proc load_file_dialog {{msg {}} {ext {}} {global_initdir {INITIALINSTDIR}}
         set myload_dir1 $myload_d
         # .load.buttons_bot.entry delete 0 end
       } else {
-        set globfilter *
         .load.buttons_bot.entry delete 0 end
         .load.buttons_bot.entry insert 0 $myload_dir2
         myload_display_preview  $myload_dir1/$myload_dir2
@@ -5179,7 +5178,7 @@ proc build_widgets { {topwin {} } } {
     }
   $topwin.menubar.file.menu add command -label "Component browser" -accelerator {Shift-Ins, Ctrl-I} \
     -command {
-      load_file_dialog {Insert symbol} .sym INITIALINSTDIR 2
+      load_file_dialog {Insert symbol} *.sym INITIALINSTDIR 2
     }
   $topwin.menubar.file.menu add command -label "Open" -command "xschem load" -accelerator {Ctrl+O}
   $topwin.menubar.file.menu add cascade -label "Open recent" -menu $topwin.menubar.file.menu.recent