diff --git a/shell/openprojectdialog.h b/shell/openprojectdialog.h
--- a/shell/openprojectdialog.h
+++ b/shell/openprojectdialog.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <KIO/UDSEntry>
 
 class KPageWidgetItem;
+class QFileDialog;
 namespace KIO
 {
 class Job;
@@ -47,6 +48,8 @@
     QString projectName() const;
     QString projectManager() const;
 
+    int exec() override;
+
 private slots:
     void validateSourcePage( bool );
     void validateOpenUrl( const QUrl& );
@@ -61,10 +64,13 @@
     QUrl m_selected;
     QString m_projectName;
     QString m_projectManager;
+    // used to select files when we aren't in KDE
+    QFileDialog* nativeDialog;
     KPageWidgetItem* sourcePage;
     KPageWidgetItem* openPage;
     KPageWidgetItem* projectInfoPage;
     QStringList m_fileList;
+    QMap<QString, QStringList> m_projectFilters;
 
     KDevelop::OpenProjectPage* openPageWidget;
     KDevelop::ProjectSourcePage* sourcePageWidget;
diff --git a/shell/openprojectdialog.cpp b/shell/openprojectdialog.cpp
--- a/shell/openprojectdialog.cpp
+++ b/shell/openprojectdialog.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "projectinfopage.h"
 
 #include <QFileInfo>
+#include <QFileDialog>
 
 #include <KColorScheme>
 #include <KIO/StatJob>
@@ -22,11 +23,50 @@
 
 #include "core.h"
 #include "uicontroller.h"
+#include "plugincontroller.h"
 #include "mainwindow.h"
 #include "shellextension.h"
 #include "projectsourcepage.h"
 #include <interfaces/iprojectcontroller.h>
 
+namespace
+{
+    struct URLInfo
+    {
+        bool isValid;
+        bool isDir;
+        QString extension;
+    };
+
+    URLInfo getUrlInfo(const QUrl& url)
+    {
+        URLInfo ret;
+        ret.isValid = false;
+
+        if (url.isLocalFile())
+        {
+            QFileInfo info(url.toLocalFile());
+            ret.isValid = info.exists();
+            if (ret.isValid) {
+                ret.isDir = info.isDir();
+                ret.extension = info.suffix();
+            }
+        }
+        else if (url.isValid())
+        {
+            KIO::StatJob* statJob = KIO::stat(url, KIO::HideProgressInfo);
+            KJobWidgets::setWindow(statJob, KDevelop::Core::self()->uiControllerInternal()->defaultMainWindow());
+            ret.isValid = statJob->exec(); // TODO: do this asynchronously so that the user isn't blocked while typing every letter of the hostname in sftp://hostname
+            if (ret.isValid) {
+                KIO::UDSEntry entry = statJob->statResult();
+                ret.isDir = entry.isDir();
+                ret.extension = QFileInfo(entry.stringValue(KIO::UDSEntry::UDS_NAME)).suffix();
+            }
+        }
+        return ret;
+    }
+}
+
 namespace KDevelop
 {
 
@@ -38,6 +78,30 @@
 {
     resize(QSize(700, 500));
 
+    QStringList filters, allEntry;
+    QString filterFormat = qEnvironmentVariableIsSet("KDE_FULL_SESSION")
+                         ? QStringLiteral("%1|%2 (%1)")
+                         : QStringLiteral("%2 (%1)");
+    allEntry << "*." + ShellExtension::getInstance()->projectFileExtension();
+    filters << filterFormat.arg("*." + ShellExtension::getInstance()->projectFileExtension(), ShellExtension::getInstance()->projectFileDescription());
+    QVector<KPluginMetaData> plugins = ICore::self()->pluginController()->queryExtensionPlugins(QStringLiteral("org.kdevelop.IProjectFileManager"));
+    foreach(const KPluginMetaData& info, plugins)
+    {
+        QStringList filter = KPluginMetaData::readStringList(info.rawData(), QStringLiteral("X-KDevelop-ProjectFilesFilter"));
+        QString desc = info.value(QStringLiteral("X-KDevelop-ProjectFilesFilterDescription"));
+
+        if (!filter.isEmpty() && !desc.isEmpty()) {
+            m_projectFilters.insert(info.name(), filter);
+            allEntry += filter;
+            filters << filterFormat.arg(filter.join(QStringLiteral(" ")), desc);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (qEnvironmentVariableIsSet("KDE_FULL_SESSION"))
+        filters.prepend(i18n("%1|All Project Files (%1)", allEntry.join(QStringLiteral(" "))));
+    else
+        filters.prepend(i18n("All Project Files (%1)", allEntry.join(QStringLiteral(";;"))));
+
     QUrl start = startUrl.isValid() ? startUrl : Core::self()->projectController()->projectsBaseDirectory();
     start = start.adjusted(QUrl::NormalizePathSegments);
     KPageWidgetItem* currentPage = 0;
@@ -49,21 +113,33 @@
         currentPage = sourcePage;
     }
 
-    openPageWidget = new OpenProjectPage( start, this );
-    connect( openPageWidget, &OpenProjectPage::urlSelected, this, &OpenProjectDialog::validateOpenUrl );
-    connect( openPageWidget, &OpenProjectPage::accepted, this, &OpenProjectDialog::openPageAccepted );
-    openPage = addPage( openPageWidget, i18n("Select a build system setup file, existing KDevelop project, "
-                                             "or any folder to open as a project") );
-
-    if( !fetch ) {
-        currentPage = openPage;
+    if (qEnvironmentVariableIsSet("KDE_FULL_SESSION"))
+    {
+        openPageWidget = new OpenProjectPage( start, filters, this );
+        connect( openPageWidget, &OpenProjectPage::urlSelected, this, &OpenProjectDialog::validateOpenUrl );
+        connect( openPageWidget, &OpenProjectPage::accepted, this, &OpenProjectDialog::openPageAccepted );
+        openPage = addPage( openPageWidget, i18n("Select a build system setup file, existing KDevelop project, "
+                                                 "or any folder to open as a project") );
+
+        if (!currentPage) {
+            currentPage = openPage;
+        }
+    } else {
+        nativeDialog = new QFileDialog(this, i18n("Open Project"));
+        nativeDialog->setDirectoryUrl(start);
+        nativeDialog->setFileMode(QFileDialog::ExistingFile);
+        nativeDialog->setNameFilters(filters);
     }
 
     ProjectInfoPage* page = new ProjectInfoPage( this );
     connect( page, &ProjectInfoPage::projectNameChanged, this, &OpenProjectDialog::validateProjectName );
     connect( page, &ProjectInfoPage::projectManagerChanged, this, &OpenProjectDialog::validateProjectManager );
     projectInfoPage = addPage( page, i18n("Project Information") );
 
+    if (!currentPage) {
+        currentPage = projectInfoPage;
+    }
+
     setValid( sourcePage, false );
     setValid( openPage, false );
     setValid( projectInfoPage, false);
@@ -73,111 +149,112 @@
     setWindowTitle(i18n("Open Project"));
 }
 
+int OpenProjectDialog::exec()
+{
+    if (!qEnvironmentVariableIsSet("KDE_FULL_SESSION"))
+    {
+        bool ok = false;
+        while (!ok)
+        {
+            if (nativeDialog->exec())
+            {
+                QUrl selectedUrl = nativeDialog->selectedUrls()[0];
+                if (getUrlInfo(selectedUrl).isValid)
+                {
+                    // validate directory first to populate m_projectName and m_projectManager
+                    validateOpenUrl(selectedUrl.adjusted(QUrl::RemoveFilename));
+                    validateOpenUrl(selectedUrl);
+                    ok = true;
+                }
+            } else {
+                reject();
+                return QDialog::Rejected;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return KAssistantDialog::exec();
+}
+
 void OpenProjectDialog::validateSourcePage(bool valid)
 {
     setValid(sourcePage, valid);
     openPageWidget->setUrl(sourcePageWidget->workingDir());
 }
 
 void OpenProjectDialog::validateOpenUrl( const QUrl& url_ )
 {
-    bool isDir = false;
-    QString extension;
-    bool isValid = false;
+    URLInfo urlInfo = getUrlInfo(url_);
 
     const QUrl url = url_.adjusted(QUrl::StripTrailingSlash);
 
-    if( url.isLocalFile() )
-    {
-        QFileInfo info( url.toLocalFile() );
-        isValid = info.exists();
-        if ( isValid ) {
-            isDir = info.isDir();
-            extension = info.suffix();
-        }
-    } else if ( url.isValid() )
-    {
-        KIO::StatJob* statJob = KIO::stat( url, KIO::HideProgressInfo );
-        KJobWidgets::setWindow(statJob, Core::self()->uiControllerInternal()->defaultMainWindow() );
-        isValid = statJob->exec(); // TODO: do this asynchronously so that the user isn't blocked while typing every letter of the hostname in sftp://hostname
-        if ( isValid ) {
-            KIO::UDSEntry entry = statJob->statResult();
-            isDir = entry.isDir();
-            extension = QFileInfo( entry.stringValue( KIO::UDSEntry::UDS_NAME ) ).suffix();
+    // openPage is used only in KDE
+    if (qEnvironmentVariableIsSet("KDE_FULL_SESSION"))
+        if ( urlInfo.isValid ) {
+            // reset header
+            openPage->setHeader(i18n("Open \"%1\" as project", url.fileName()));
+        } else {
+            // report error
+            KColorScheme scheme(palette().currentColorGroup());
+            const QString errorMsg = i18n("Selected URL is invalid");
+            openPage->setHeader(QStringLiteral("<font color='%1'>%2</font>")
+                .arg(scheme.foreground(KColorScheme::NegativeText).color().name(), errorMsg)
+            );
+            setAppropriate( projectInfoPage, false );
+            setAppropriate( openPage, true );
+            setValid( openPage, false );
+            return;
         }
-    }
-
-    if ( isValid ) {
-        // reset header
-        openPage->setHeader(i18n("Open \"%1\" as project", url.fileName()));
-    } else {
-        // report error
-        KColorScheme scheme(palette().currentColorGroup());
-        const QString errorMsg = i18n("Selected URL is invalid");
-        openPage->setHeader(QStringLiteral("<font color='%1'>%2</font>")
-            .arg(scheme.foreground(KColorScheme::NegativeText).color().name(), errorMsg)
-        );
-        setAppropriate( projectInfoPage, false );
-        setAppropriate( openPage, true );
-        setValid( openPage, false );
-        return;
-    }
 
     m_selected = url;
 
-    if( isDir || extension != ShellExtension::getInstance()->projectFileExtension() )
+    if( urlInfo.isDir || urlInfo.extension != ShellExtension::getInstance()->projectFileExtension() )
     {
         setAppropriate( projectInfoPage, true );
         m_url = url;
-        if( !isDir ) {
+        if( !urlInfo.isDir ) {
             m_url = m_url.adjusted(QUrl::StripTrailingSlash | QUrl::RemoveFilename);
         }
         ProjectInfoPage* page = qobject_cast<ProjectInfoPage*>( projectInfoPage->widget() );
         if( page )
         {
             page->setProjectName( m_url.fileName() );
-            OpenProjectPage* page2 = qobject_cast<OpenProjectPage*>( openPage->widget() );
-            if( page2 )
+            // Default manager
+            page->setProjectManager( QStringLiteral("Generic Project Manager") );
+            // clear the filelist
+            m_fileList.clear();
+
+            if( urlInfo.isDir ) {
+                // If a dir was selected fetch all files in it
+                KIO::ListJob* job = KIO::listDir( m_url );
+                connect( job, &KIO::ListJob::entries,
+                                this, &OpenProjectDialog::storeFileList);
+                KJobWidgets::setWindow(job, Core::self()->uiController()->activeMainWindow());
+                job->exec();
+            } else {
+                // Else we'lll just take the given file
+                m_fileList << url.fileName();
+            }
+            // Now find a manager for the file(s) in our filelist.
+            bool managerFound = false;
+            foreach( const QString& manager, m_projectFilters.keys() )
             {
-                // Default manager
-                page->setProjectManager( QStringLiteral("Generic Project Manager") );
-                // clear the filelist
-                m_fileList.clear();
-
-                if( isDir ) {
-                    // If a dir was selected fetch all files in it
-                    KIO::ListJob* job = KIO::listDir( m_url );
-                    connect( job, &KIO::ListJob::entries,
-                                  this, &OpenProjectDialog::storeFileList);
-                    KJobWidgets::setWindow(job, Core::self()->uiController()->activeMainWindow());
-                    job->exec();
-                } else {
-                    // Else we'lll just take the given file
-                    m_fileList << url.fileName();
-                }
-                // Now find a manager for the file(s) in our filelist.
-                bool managerFound = false;
-                foreach( const QString& manager, page2->projectFilters().keys() )
+                foreach( const QString& filterexp, m_projectFilters.value(manager) )
                 {
-                    foreach( const QString& filterexp, page2->projectFilters().value(manager) )
+                    if( !m_fileList.filter( QRegExp( filterexp, Qt::CaseSensitive, QRegExp::Wildcard ) ).isEmpty() )
                     {
-                        if( !m_fileList.filter( QRegExp( filterexp, Qt::CaseSensitive, QRegExp::Wildcard ) ).isEmpty() )
-                        {
-                            managerFound = true;
-                            break;
-                        }
-                    }
-                    if( managerFound )
-                    {
-                        page->setProjectManager( manager );
+                        managerFound = true;
                         break;
                     }
                 }
+                if( managerFound )
+                {
+                    page->setProjectManager( manager );
+                    break;
+                }
             }
         }
         m_url.setPath( m_url.path() + '/' + m_url.fileName() + '.' + ShellExtension::getInstance()->projectFileExtension() );
-    } else
-    {
+    } else {
         setAppropriate( projectInfoPage, false );
         m_url = url;
     }
diff --git a/shell/openprojectpage.h b/shell/openprojectpage.h
--- a/shell/openprojectpage.h
+++ b/shell/openprojectpage.h
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    explicit OpenProjectPage( const QUrl& startUrl, QWidget* parent = nullptr );
-    QMap<QString,QStringList> projectFilters() const;
+    explicit OpenProjectPage( const QUrl& startUrl, const QStringList& filters,
+        QWidget* parent = nullptr );
     void setUrl(const QUrl& url);
 
 signals:
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@
 private:
     QUrl getAbsoluteUrl(const QString&) const;
     KFileWidget* fileWidget;
-    QMap<QString,QStringList> m_projectFilters;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/shell/openprojectpage.cpp b/shell/openprojectpage.cpp
--- a/shell/openprojectpage.cpp
+++ b/shell/openprojectpage.cpp
@@ -20,37 +20,18 @@
 
 #include "shellextension.h"
 #include "core.h"
-#include "plugincontroller.h"
 
 namespace KDevelop
 {
 
-OpenProjectPage::OpenProjectPage( const QUrl& startUrl, QWidget* parent )
+OpenProjectPage::OpenProjectPage( const QUrl& startUrl, const QStringList& filters,
+    QWidget* parent )
         : QWidget( parent )
 {
     QHBoxLayout* layout = new QHBoxLayout( this );
 
     fileWidget = new KFileWidget( startUrl, this);
 
-    QStringList filters;
-    QStringList allEntry;
-    allEntry << "*."+ShellExtension::getInstance()->projectFileExtension();
-    filters << QStringLiteral( "%1|%2 (%1)").arg("*."+ShellExtension::getInstance()->projectFileExtension(), ShellExtension::getInstance()->projectFileDescription());
-    QVector<KPluginMetaData> plugins = ICore::self()->pluginController()->queryExtensionPlugins( QStringLiteral( "org.kdevelop.IProjectFileManager" ) );
-    foreach(const KPluginMetaData& info, plugins)
-    {
-        QStringList filter = KPluginMetaData::readStringList(info.rawData(), QStringLiteral("X-KDevelop-ProjectFilesFilter"));
-	    QString desc = info.value(QStringLiteral("X-KDevelop-ProjectFilesFilterDescription"));
-        QString filterline;
-        if(!filter.isEmpty() && !desc.isEmpty()) {
-            m_projectFilters.insert(info.name(), filter);
-            allEntry += filter;
-            filters << QStringLiteral("%1|%2 (%1)").arg(filter.join(QStringLiteral(" ")), desc);
-        }
-    }
-
-    filters.prepend( i18n( "%1|All Project Files (%1)", allEntry.join( QStringLiteral(" ") ) ) );
-
     fileWidget->setFilter( filters.join(QStringLiteral("\n")) );
 
     fileWidget->setMode( KFile::Modes( KFile::File | KFile::Directory | KFile::ExistingOnly ) );
@@ -120,10 +101,5 @@
     emit urlSelected( getAbsoluteUrl( file ) );
 }
 
-QMap<QString,QStringList> OpenProjectPage::projectFilters() const
-{
-    return m_projectFilters;
-}
-
 }