diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.files.ftp/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/files/ftp/FTPService.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.files.ftp/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/files/ftp/FTPService.java
index 22cc29784be..1b9b7131c8c 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.files.ftp/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/files/ftp/FTPService.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.files.ftp/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/files/ftp/FTPService.java
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ public class FTPService extends AbstractFileService implements IFileService, IFT
 		_userHome = _ftpClient.printWorkingDirectory();
 		
 		//For VMS, normalize the home location
-		if(_userHome.indexOf(':')!=-1)
+		if(_userHome.indexOf(':')!=-1 && _userHome.indexOf(']')!=-1)
 		{
 			_userHome = _userHome.replaceAll(":\\[", "/"); //$NON-NLS-1$ //$NON-NLS-2$
 			_userHome = '/'+_userHome.substring(0,_userHome.lastIndexOf(']'));