diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
index 585898a6c..85db1a112 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -467,7 +467,9 @@ pub fn file_explorer(
                     }
                 };
 
-                let root = path.parent().unwrap().to_path_buf();
+                let root = path.parent().map(
+                    |p| p.to_path_buf()
+                ).unwrap_or(helix_stdx::env::current_working_dir());
 
                 if to_create.exists() {
                     create_confirmation_prompt(
@@ -518,7 +520,9 @@ pub fn file_explorer(
                     None
                 };
 
-                let root = move_from.parent().unwrap().to_path_buf();
+                let root = move_from.parent().map(
+                    |p| p.to_path_buf()
+                ).unwrap_or(helix_stdx::env::current_working_dir());
 
                 if move_to.exists() {
                     create_confirmation_prompt(
@@ -552,7 +556,9 @@ pub fn file_explorer(
                         return Some(Err(format!("Path {} does not exist", to_delete.display())))
                     };
 
-                    let root = to_delete.parent().unwrap().to_path_buf();
+                    let root = to_delete.parent().map(
+                        |p| p.to_path_buf()
+                    ).unwrap_or(helix_stdx::env::current_working_dir());
 
                     if confirmation.ends_with(std::path::MAIN_SEPARATOR) {
                         if let Err(err) = fs::remove_dir_all(to_delete).map_err(
@@ -608,7 +614,9 @@ pub fn file_explorer(
                     )))
                 };
 
-                let root = copy_from.parent().unwrap().to_path_buf();
+                let root = copy_to.parent().map(
+                    |p| p.to_path_buf()
+                ).unwrap_or(helix_stdx::env::current_working_dir());
                 
                 if copy_from.is_dir() || copy_to_str.ends_with('/') {
                     // TODO: support copying directories (recursively)?. This isn't built-in to the standard library