diff -up mate-control-center-2.21.2/capplets/appearance/appearance-desktop.c.background-location mate-control-center-2.21.2/capplets/appearance/appearance-desktop.c

--- mate-control-center-2.21.2/capplets/appearance/appearance-desktop.c.background-location	2007-11-17 23:39:06.000000000 -0500

+++ mate-control-center-2.21.2/capplets/appearance/appearance-desktop.c	2007-11-17 23:39:39.000000000 -0500

@@ -1114,6 +1114,8 @@ desktop_init (AppearanceData *data,

                      NULL));

   gtk_file_chooser_set_select_multiple (data->wp_filesel, TRUE);

+  gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder (GTK_FILE_CHOOSER (data->wp_filesel),

+                                       "/usr/share/design/current/backgrounds");

   gtk_file_chooser_set_use_preview_label (data->wp_filesel, FALSE);

   pictures = g_get_user_special_dir (G_USER_DIRECTORY_PICTURES);