diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.files.ui/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/files/ui/view/SystemViewRemoteFileAdapter.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.files.ui/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/files/ui/view/SystemViewRemoteFileAdapter.java
index 143701d5142..4e4cc64bf32 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.files.ui/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/files/ui/view/SystemViewRemoteFileAdapter.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.files.ui/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/files/ui/view/SystemViewRemoteFileAdapter.java
@@ -569,11 +569,15 @@ public class SystemViewRemoteFileAdapter
 	{
 		//System.out.println("Inside getParent for: "+element);
 		IRemoteFile file = (IRemoteFile) element;
-		IRemoteFile parent = file.getParentRemoteFile();
-		if ((parent != null) && parent.getAbsolutePath().equals(file.getAbsolutePath()))
-			// should never happen but sometimes it does, leading to infinite loop.
-			parent = null;
-		return parent;
+		if (file.exists())
+		{
+			IRemoteFile parent = file.getParentRemoteFile();
+			if ((parent != null) && parent.getAbsolutePath().equals(file.getAbsolutePath()))
+				// should never happen but sometimes it does, leading to infinite loop.
+				parent = null;
+			return parent;
+		}
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	/**